Kiss Me Goodnight
by Mayet
Summary: KakaSaku When Sakura is abused by someone close to her and Kakashi trys to help her, how will that affect their relationship? Right: Love will slowly blossom. Please read warnings inside!
1. First of what's to come

**_Kiss Me Goodnight_**

**KakaSaku**

**Warnings: mentions of abuse and rape(nothing explicit, though)**

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**Chapter 1: First of what's to come**

The first time it happaned, he found her on the streets.

He wouldn't even have noticed her, if it hadn't been for the strong scent of salty tears mixing with the sweet fragrance that was her shampoo. He had just gotten back from a long-term mission and was headed home, when her presence struck him. He would never have guessed, that she would be out at this hour. It was already past midnight, after all. Good girls were in their beds by now.

Immediately he knew, something was wrong.

Turning around a corner into a dark alleyway, he found her. She was sitting between two packed garbage cans, her knees bent and her arms thrown around them, her rosette hair hiding her face from the world, silently crying into the night. What was more, she was injured everywhere. Bloody scrapes and bluish bruises covered her body and by the rattling breaths she took, he was sure, she had a few broken rips as well.

The sight made his heart clench.

What could've happened to his only female student? The first thing, that came to his mind was rape, but her clothes seemed intact, if a little dirty. His eyes roamed her battered body again for cues and another thought occurred to him: Maybe she had been involved in a gang fight? It was rare, but not unheard of in Konoha and the numbers of gangs around was increasing, or so he had been told. Maybe she had gotten into somekind of argument with the wrong people and…

But with a shake of his head, he dismissed that thought, too.

Sakura was the Hokage's apprentice and her super-human strength would've sent any and all civilian gang members flying- and this gang problem was a civilian one! For another moment, he tried to figure out, what had happened, but soon figured it would be better to ask her himself- not to mention, that she needed medical care right away! Stepping infront of her lost form, he crouched down to be eye-level with her.

"Sakura?" he inquired.

The girl flinched violently at the sound of his voice.

"No…no, please, don't… stop, please don't hurt me anymore…please…" the young medic cried, eyes tightly shut, as she tried to crawl away from him, only to hit her back against the wall in her frantic search for escape.

"Sakura… Sakura!" He tried again, grabbing her shoulders and shaking her lightly. "It's me, Kakashi."

"Sensei?" her trembling voice answered him, uncertain. She cracked an eye open, as if she couldn't believe his voice, then the other, when she recognized him. He smiled gently at her, giving her the eye-crease, she knew so well, to assure her that everything would be fine, that she was safe now. He wasn't, however, prepared for her reaction. Finally letting go, breaking down into sobs, she threw her arms around his neck and cried into his chest. Taken aback for a moment, he quickly started rubbing her back comfortingly until her sobs had died down. He then picked her up.

"I'll take you home now, okay?"

He could immediately feel her tense in his arms, her fingers digging into his back, and saw the frightened widening of her eyes. Would she have been someone else, he would have probably guessed, that she didn't want her parents to see her like this, but truth be told, the only parent, she actually cared for had died a year ago of a heart attack. The pink-haired chunin was living with her father now, who had been called back from his residence in Moon Country to take care of his still under-age daughter until she became twenty (1).

Needless to say, the two of them didn't get along with each other!

"It was him." It was a statement, not a question, though her biting on her lower lip would have been a good enough answer. "And am I right in assuming, you don't want to go to hospital? Come on, we'll go to my apartment and I'll take care of. That's what a good sensei should do, after all."

He hadn't waited for her to answer and it wasn't necessary. The fact, that her body had relaxed as soon as he scratched the option of her own home or the hospital out, was his cue to make the necessary hand seals.

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The second time it happened, he found her on Team Seven's old training grounds.

She was sitting against the trunk, he had once tied Naruto to, looking at the sky, letting the rain pour down on her, so no one would see the tears, that fell from her puffy eyes. Again, it was a complete coincidence, that he had found her. He had been on his way to the Memorial Stone to pay his old team mates and friends a visit, when he had caught sight of her pale pink hair and once he got closer, the scent of blood stung in his nose.

He would sigh.

Walking over, he sat down next to her, waiting for her to tell him, to give him a sign of what to do. He knew, though, that that wouldn't happen. She hadn't said a word the first time and she wouldn't break her silence now. Sighing again, he reached out to ruffle her hair in comfort, before grabbing her wrist and teleporting back into the bathroom of his apartment to treat her injuries.

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The third time it happened, he found her on his doorstep.

He had been about to go out to meet some of his buddies at on of the local bars, but all those petty thoughts went out of his mind, when he found her infront of him, one hand raised to knock. Her white medical uniform was soaked in her blood, though other on-lookers would probably think, she just came from a tough surgery. She didn't look at him, couldn't look at him, maybe. She was most likely ashamed, that he saw her in a state most shinobi would define weak. He stepped aside to let her in; she still wouldn't pick up her gaze from his floor. Then suddenly, she turned around.

"I shouldn't have come here." She clarified. "I'm sorry, sensei, I don't know, what has gotten into me. I didn't want to disturb you. Goodnight."

She began to walk away, only to be pulled back and inside his home by a hand that held on to her wrist tightly.

"Don't be ridiculous." He murmured.

And so the routine was set.

Whenever it happened, she would come to him or he would find her someplace, he passed a lot of time in. They would go to his apartment and there Kakashi would motion for her to sit down, so he could take a look at her injuries. She would do as she was asked, without hesitation. He would go to the bathroom and come back with his medical kit, would plop down next to her onto his couch and tend to her bruises. When it came to intimite areas, he would turn around, so she could treat herself and, wait for her okay to look at her again.

Once every wound was tended to, they would sit and watch some T.V. or talk about everything and nothing at the same time. He would ask about the hospital and her training, while actually asking something totally different. She would answer everything was fine and ask questions of her own about his missions and why his latest Genin Team didn't pass the Bell Test, while trying to avoid the real answer like the plague. They would laugh together and chat about old times until late in the night, when she would suddenly remember, that she should go home. He wouldn't have any of that- it was late, after all, so he couldn't have her walk out on the streets- and tell her she could have the bed and he would take the couch.

She would seemingly reluctantly agree and he would pick her up to tug her in. Kakashiu would kiss her forehead, wish her sweet dreams and turn around to go back to his couch. He then would feel, Sakura's hand enclosing his own and hear her ask him to stay with her, just for tonight, because she didn't want to be alone. He would grant her wish and, giving a sigh, crawl into bed himself, placing an arm around her stomach to assure her, he wouldn't go anywhere and instead catch each and every nightmare away, that might come to haunt her in the night. And then they would fall asleep.

That is, until the day he snapped:

"How long?"

"What?" she yawned, halfway in the land of dreams.

"You know exactly what I mean." He replied smoothly.

Immediately, she tensed. She didn't want to talk about it, but Kakashi was sick of seeing her like that. It made him want to wring her father's neck, but he couldn't do anything, not until Sakura opened her mouth. Sure, he could go to the Hokage and have Haruno Masashiro charged for child abuse, but without Sakura as a witness and victim- a talking one- it would be his word against the Haruno's. And Sakura's father was a well-respected civilian merchant, nobody would believe, that the nice man next-door would actually beat his 'little girl'.

"How long will you let him do this to you, Sakura?" he asked, when she wouldn't reply.

"I… I don't know-"

"Don't lie to me, Sakura. You know, I know, so don't insult my intelligence." He warned her and she couldn't help, but notice, that there was something desperate in his voice. She knew, he had gotten quite protective of her, since this whole mess started- he had proved so by waiting infront of the hospital and walking her home. He would also make early morning appointments for training, whenever possible, and make sure, her father heard. That way, if he beat her that evening, her team mates would notice durin their training session, when she wouldn't have had any time to tend to them yet or have someone else treat her. Yet, this dark, sad tone of his voice seemed to hold a new depth, that made shivers run up and down her spine…

A moment later, she asked herself, what was wrong with her!

"Sakura?"

He was still waiting for an answer.

"…What am I supposed to do, Kakashi-sensei? He's my father and-"

"Is beating you. Go to the Hokage with me-"

"No!"

"Why?" he inquired. "How can you still care about him, after what he's been doing to you in these past few months?!?"

"He's still my father…" She replied silently.

"…" He didn't reply in words, but his actions told her enough. He moved away from her to sit on the edge of the bed and raked a hand through his silver mob in frustration, going over to rub his temples in annoyance in the next second.

"I'm sorry, sensei." She told him as she sat up s well. "I… shoul've never involved you into this whole mess… I'm really sorry… I…I'l go now."

And before he could react, she was out the door.

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He didn't see much of her from that night on. For almost two years, she seemed to avoid him like the plague. She would talk to him, when they met on the streets or in the hospital, but never more than a "Hello. How are you? I'm fine" kind of talk. He waited for her to come to him again, but it never happened. She stayed away as much as possible, even going as far as making up excuses, for not eating Ramen with the rest of the team.

She would smile a lot and everything would look fine, great even, when the long lost Uchiha came back or when she finally made it jounin, but he would know better. He would see the shadow looming behind the apparent sparkle in her jade eyes, he would see the slight limp in her walk, when she passed him with a stack of scrolls in her arms, he would see how her smile faded into a grimace, when she thought no one was looking.

And it would break his heart.

She was so young, so full of life, yet it was being poisoned- and by her own father no less. Whenever he thought about it, he chided himself for acting the way he did that night. He should've approached the subject in another way, then maybe she would still seek his company and comfort and thereby would still have someone she could confide in. Someone that knew and understood, but his own supidity had driven her away. And the worst part was, that she was keeping her distance to protect him, to help him, because she had seen him so distressed at her situation. She didn't, unfortunately, realize, that this way, she was making it even worse on him, because he would blame himself for one part.

And for the other, because having her close to him at night, had 'shooed' away his nightmares as well.

He needed her just as much as she needed him. They needed each other to overcome the darkness in their thoughts. But she didn't come to him anymore. She stayed away, both physically and emotionally.

That is, until her father crossed a line…

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A knock on his door brought him out of his dark musings and back into the real world. He considered not answering, since he didn't want to get disturbed; he was thinking about how to stop her torment, when he suddenly felt who's chakra signature it was, that was standing there infront of his home. The silver-haired man immediately jumped onto his feet and rushed for the door, before she could change her mind and run away again.

The moment he opened the door, he felt her tiny hands clutch his shirt (he had foregone his vest, seeing as he was at his own place) and noticed how her smaller frame was trembling against his taller body. He slipped his arms around her- she was so cold- and carried her inside. She was sobbing against his chest without restraint, her hair was dishevelled and her lips swollen and bruised. Blood was trickling out of the corner of her mouth. Her clothes were crumpled and by the way, he could feel her chest against him with every breath, he guessed she wasn't wearing a bra.

A terrible thought came to him.

"Sakura?" He spoke up at once. "What did he do?"

She looked up at him, still crying, but not for long. She didn't seem able to hold his intense stare, so she shifted her gaze to the side.

"H-he… he r..ra…p… raped…m-me, Kakashi, he…"

**End of chapter!**

**A/N: Ah, my first multi-chapter KakaSaku FF. I finally got around to start writing. I'll try to update at least once a week, but I can't promise anything. Other than that, I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing KakaSaku nowadays (I wasn't the greatest fan in the beginning, but the more I read, the more it warmed my heart). I'm sorry to make Sakura's father the bad guy here, but the final idea came to me, while writing 'Affairs of a Hokage' and, well...**

**Anyway, please review. I'm open for any ideas, how to make the story better, but no flames, okay? Thank you for your attention!**

**Mayet**


	2. What to do?

**_Kiss Me Goodnight_**

**A/N: It's me again and I brought the second chapter with me. Hope you enjoy it.**

**Chapter 2: What to do?!?**

"H-he… he r..ra…p… raped…m-me, Kakashi, he…"

He closed his eyes to fight off the wave of nausea. He didn't hear her dropping the 'sensei'-part, didn't hear her continue, didn't hear her sobs and chokes. All he heard was the punding of his heart and the rush of his blood. He felt his shaking hands and how he just wanted to enclose her father's throat with them, felt the white-hot rage boiling inside him, felt the protectiveness for this woman- this _**girl- **_fuel his hatred for the offender.

And he felt the shame weighing down on his shoulders.

Why hadn't he put an end to this? Two years ago. Why hadn't he stopped this from happening? If he would've just gone to the Hokage, if he would've just been stronger, maybe… maybe she wouldn't have had to…

"S-sensei?"

Her broken voice dragged him back into reality. Looking down, he found her watching him with concern in her eyes. Now, he could feel the helpless shaking and felt how helpless he was himself. Now, he felt the tears. She was crying against his chest and the tiny droplets had drenched his shirt, so he could feel them against his skin. Now, he noticed, how her hands were gripping onto him so hard, her knuckles turned white.

Kakashi took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. She needed him now, he could think about revenge later! As he breathed, the scent of blood mixed with sweat and… sex filled his nose and it was so wrong. This innocent girl shouldn't stand in his apartment, smelling like that. Hell, she shouldn't have to stand in his apartment, period. Not for the reason, she came here anyway.

The silver-headed male couldn't help, but feel for her.

He knew, she wouldn't want to be pitied. He didn't want to, either, but seeing her so broken, so small comparing to the world… he couldn't stop himself from feeling compassion and the responsibility, again. He had failed, failed to protect her like he had promised her and the whole Team Seven on their first mission outside Konoha, when they met Zabuza. He had protected them back then, with his life, and he had safed her life quite a few times since, but now… now she was within Konoha and yet she was not safe! He had failed to protect her from the worst of enemies- those who hold your trust and use it against you! He hadn't been able to safe her, but he would make damn sure, it never happened again…

"Sakura? I know, you won't like this, but we have to take this to the Hokage."

"But-"

"No buts, Sakura. He can't get away with this! You can't let him get away with this! What he did to you before, was already bad enough- and you should've reported him to the authoroties a long time ago- but this, Sakura, this… is a crime, one of the worst crimes we know! This is… is…_**sick**_!"

He felt her immediately flinch as the last word left his mouth and she fell silent. For a moment he wondered, what had gotten into her, before a thought struck him. Shaking his head, he tried to dismiss it, it was ridiculous.

She wouldn't, she couldn't…

"I'm sorry." Sakura murmured, apprehension filling her voice.

She did.

"Sakura." Kakashi said firmly as he made her sit down on his couch and crouched to be eye-lever with her. "Sakura. This.Is.Not.Your.Fault. Do you understand me? This is by no means your fault, do not blame yourself for what this…this pervert did!" He hesitated to say 'pedophile', a word that would probably make her feel all the more responsible. 'Pervert' wasn't exactly fitting (the whole village called _**him**_ a pervert, too, after all), he thought, but it was the only word, he could think of in such a short time.

"But I… I must have done something wrong or he wouldn't do this to me, sensei." Sakura insisted.

He had heard of this, but he never believed it, until now. He had been told, that victims of rape often saw themselves to be the ones to blame most. He couldn't believe it. It was completely irrational! Yet, here it was: This young, innocent girl- his former student- blaming herself for the disgusting crime her own father comitted. His heart clenched again and the rage within it fought to be let loose.

He almost gave in.

But one look at the lost expression of his pink-haired student's face, made him strengthen his will. It could wait. He would wait, but when the moment had come, he would make sure not to let it pass!

"Sakura? Did you want it?"

"No!" came the resounding answer.

"Did you tell…_**him**_ so?" Kakashi had problems even talking about the man, without feeling the desire to kill him.

"O-of c-cou-course, but he w-wouldn't… wouldn't stop, he…"

"Then, this is in no way your fault."

"But, he must've had a reason to… to…"

Why did she actually want to believe, her father had a reason for abusing of her?

"You didn't do anything, that would make you deserve such a thing. Not like there exists something, that would-"

"I became a kunoichi."

"What?" Kakashi asked, baffled.

"I became a kunoichi, a…a _**slut**_, someone that solds her body for money, right?"

For a moment, the silver-haired jounin remained silent, so she continued.

"I've never had such a mission, though. Does that make me a slut anyway, sensei? Because I don't feel like I-" she rambled on until her ex-sensei interrupted her.

"These type of missions are rare, Sakura. Chances are you'll never get one at all. Besides, those missions are optional, you don't have to take them." He explained, more patiently than he thought possible, remembering his own assignments, where he had to seduce a few women- and even some men- to gain information or get close to his target. But it was mostly harder on women, because they had another opinion on sex. For them, sex and love belonged together… "Furthermore, those missions aren't requested by clients. They are needed to keep Konoha safe. If you ever do such a mission, you will not be a slut and no one will consider you one. You shouldn't either, because it's not true. Shinobi- male or female- that give their body for the village, are closer to being martyrs than anything else."

Not that he considered himself one.

"You're not a slut, Sakura." He added firmly. "his is not your fault-"

"I didn't stop it, though." She spoke up again.

Kakashi swallowed a frustrated sigh. It seemed, that she was argueing with him on purpose, but he knew, those were just the psychological aftereffects of what she'd been through. At least, her voice didn't quiver so much anymore. It was still weak, but not trembling anymore and she didn't sob either.

That was a start.

"You couldn't have done anything." As soon as it was out of his mouth, he knew, he had- again- picked the wrong words. His social skills sucked, but he should've really thought about this one before. It came out totally wrong. He hadn't meant to insult her and call her weak, but by the glare, she was giving him now, it was all too apparent, that he had achieved just that goal! "What I meant was, that it's understandable. He's your father and you don't want to hurt him, that's completely normal…"

She looked away in shame.

"This is not the real reasons, you think, you're to be held responsible, is it?" The masked man asked as realization dawned on him.

He almost didn't catch her, shaking her head.

Leaning in closer, he waited for whatever was about to come, but when the words finally left her mouth, they almost gave him a heart attack:

"I…It…f-felt…g-good."

What the hell?!?

Sakura wasn't looking at him, she didn't want to see the repulsion in his one uncovered eye, didn't want to literally feel the despise, he would hold for her now. She just wanted it to be over. Maybe, she should just leave to find a bridge or something? Then she decided, that she wanted, needed him to understand, if even only a little.

"I-I didn't w-want to and th…the p-pain was st-stil there- I-it w-was so p-pa…painful, but a-also… g-good… I f-feel s-so…dirty, I'm…"

Suddenly, she felt a head on her shoulder. Her sensei had slumped against the couch and leaned forward until his forehead touched her neck. Each time his warm breath caressed her skin, she could feel tingles run over the spot of her neck and couldn't decide, whether to enjoy or fear that sensation. What was he doing anyway? His breath was labored, as if he had been running for quite a while, his body shook a little and Sakura was sure, if Kakashi were anyone else, her former sensei would be crying silent tears at the moment.

"I'm sorry, sensei." She whispered, not sure, what to make of his reaction.

"No, Sakura. I'm sorry." He replied and there it was again. She hadn't heard it since their last discussion two years ago, but she still recognized it: That edge in his voice, so similar to desperation and sorrow. "It isn't your fault, Sakura. Stop thinking, you did anything wrong, because you didn't."

"But- I- it felt…"

"Good?" He gave a humorless chuckle. "Sex is supposed to, Sakura. No matter what your mind or heart say to it, your body's reaction will always be the same, if a little effort is put into getting it… That just shows, how much of a…sick pervert _**he**_ really is, to make you- your body enjoy him degrading you. I'm sorry, Sakura. I'm sorry, I wasn't there for you."

"It's okay, sensei. It was me, who ran away." Sakura said, though it seemed odd. Now it was her, that was comforting him. The world was crazy sometimes. Not that she minded, hell no. It would actually be nice to be able to repay him somehow, for all the times he helped her, if the circumstances were a little different. But the pink-haired girl decided, that that wouldn't bother her now. She slid her arms around his neck and softly stroked his back in a comforting manner. The position was a little awkward, what with her sitting on the couch and him leaning on her from his spot on the floor, but it didn't matter.

She was there. He was there. They both were there to ease the other's pain.

For a few minutes, Kakashi let himself be held by his young team mate. Then he draw back, surprised at how much he missed the warmth, their embrace had brought him, but dismissing the thought as soon as it came forth in his mind. This really wasn't the moment to ponder, what was going on with him or her- or them. Standing up, he held a hand out for her and lifted her off the couch, once she had grabbed hold of it.

"Come on, I'll get a bath ready for you… and if you really don't want to go to Tsunade-sama, all you have to do, is heal yourself. No evidence, no case. And since I doubt, you still believe, you deserve this as a punishment, there is no reson for you, not to do it anymore. If you really don't want to tell your shishou." He declared and Sakura was surprised, that he had grasped on to that little piece of information. Since when did he know? Was that the reason, why he never questioned her coming to him for medical treatment? Had he already known of her acceptance?

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The hot water in the tube eased her aching muscles and Sakura couldn't surpress a loud groan at how good it felt. When she realized, what she'd done, she blushed different shades of red and threw a panicked look at the closed bathroom door. Had Kakashi heard that? And if he had, what did he make of it? Sinking a little deeper into the water, as if trying to hide, she relaxed after a while.

Enough, to have her Inner coming out unwelcomed at the first thought.

'_He's being really nice.'_

'_**Yeah, and he's being really right, too.'**_

'_Not you again.' _She groaned inwardly.

**_'Sorry, princess, but someone has to take care of you, since you don't do it yourself.' Inner Sakura snorted in disdain. 'And even Kakashi can only do so much.'_**

'_So, what are you suggesting?'_

_**'What I told you to do two years ago, before you ran out of the door like a chicken.'**_

_'I can't-'_

_**'You can and you will. It can't go on like this forever: Coming home and sneaking up into your room in hopes, he won't notice you. Locking the door to be safe, only for him to burst into the room. Or being caught and beaten as soon as you set a foot into the house- not to mention what he did tonight! Do you really want this to happen again?'**_

'_No…' _Sakura admitted, shaking lightly in the warm water.

_'**Then don't let it happen again. Take Kakashi's advice and go to the Hokage. She can put an end to this-'**_

"And then what?!? I am put into some hostel and the Elders sell mom's house? I won't let that happen!'

_**'You'd rather be raped again?'**_

_'…'_

_**"Thought so. Besides, don't you think, that your beloved shishou will make sure, neither of that happens. She knows how much that house means to you. You're still underage, yes, but you are a jounin and thereby considered an adult. You can live on your own, other shinobi, some even younger than you, did that too. Take Kakashi for example.'**_

_'Sensei?'_

_**'Yes, haven't you listened to Tsunade. His last family died when he was just eight and his sensei followed, when he was fourteen. He's been living by himself ever since.'**_

_'Whenever did she mention that?'_

_**'One of her drunken rants. You might've been too tipsy to listen yourself, but I was, thank godness, completely sobber.'**_

_'Oh…'_

**_'Yeah, well. Now get out of the water it's getting cold…and maybe you should respond to Kakashi, he sounds worried.'_** With that, her Inner retreated into the very back of her mind.

"Wha-what?" Sakura mumbled. As soon as she was by her senses again, she could feel, how the temperature of the bathing water had dropped dramatically. Slightly shivering, she stood up and leaned over to grab a towel.

"Sakura? Why aren't you answering me?" Kakashi's voice came from the door. Concern could be heard in every word. Sakura wondered, since when he wore his heart on his tongue. She had never heard so many emotions in Kakashi's voice as in the course of this one evening. She was about to reply, when he spoke up again. "Okay, Sakura, you better be decent, because I'm coming in-"

"NO!" she screeched, but it was too late. The door was already opened and Kakashi made the first step inside, before stopping dead in his tracks. Fortunately, he wouldn't be able to see anything, well almost, because she had quickly held up the town to cover herself. Flushed she stood there in the middle of his bathroom, only a towel to hide her body from him. Her body with all it's bruises. By the way, he scratched the back of his head, he was a little uncomfortable himself.

As uncomfortable as Konoha's resident pervert could be, with an almost naked woman in his bath.

Then again, that title had been taken from him.

His expression changed from embarrassed to angry in a moment and had the pink-haired girl shiver slightly at the intensity of his gaze. She wasn't sure what he was thinking, but it would most certainly not be pleasant on her father to find out.

"Uhm…Sensei?"

"Mmh." He snapped out of his thoughts.

"Uhm…could you…you know…leave, so I can…uh…get dressed…'

An evil idea came to him, that would hopefully make her forget her pain for a little while.

"Oh, please don't let yourself be stopped by me. Just act, as if I wasn't there."

"Eww! Sensei!"

"Yes, Sakura-chan?" the silver-haired man asked innocently.

"Get.Out." She growled.

"It's my bathroom."

"And I'm in it, naked."

"You have a towel. And the spare clothes I gave you are right there." He motioned to a pile in the corner.

"So you want to watch me dress?!? Are you nuts? Get out."

When he didn't move, she decided to add a little good-hearted threat. After all, that could never hurt with someone, that read porn in public.

"Or you'll meet my fist!" she ground out.

Chuckling, her ex-sensei held up his arms in defeat and backed out of the room.

'_Now,'_ she turned to stare at the medical kit, that was standing beside her lend clothes. _'What to do?…Heal or not to heal, that is the question.'_

**End of chapter!**

**A/N: I know this chapter seems a little rushed, but it was meant to be as both Sakura's and Kakashi's state of mind affected by the news she brings. **

**As for the next chapter:What will Sakura do? What do you think, she will do? Or should? **

**I hope, you liked it! Please leave a review. **


	3. Kakashi's Plan

**_Kiss Me Goodnight_**

**KakaSaku**

**Chapter 3: Kakashi's Plan**

When Sakura finally opened the door, Kakashi had to stiffle a laugh.

She was wearing his spare pants and sleeve-less shirt, that were way to big for her and she seemed to stumble over her own to feet. Her hair was even more dishevelled, than when he first saw her standing infront of his door, and her arms were a mess of bandages, that hung loosely around her slim form.

Apparently Konoha's second best medic, who could heal pretty much anything- which had often saved his life- wasn't able to wrap her own limbs with bandages.

The Copy Nin couldn't surpress a chuckle at her frustrated huff, before she barked at him, not to just stand there, laughing his ass off, but to come help her. Bewildered by her commanding voice- few dared to order him around, mind you- he hesitated for another moment. Giving in, he slowly strolled over to were she was and stripped her off the bandages (mind out of the gutter, ladies and gentlemen, we aren't there yet). For the first time, since she had come to seek him out again, he saw some of the full extend of her injuries. Even in the bathroom, with only a towel to cover her, she had managed to hide the bloody gash on her arm and shoulder, that was witness of her father's usage of weapons on her.

Kakashi couldn't swallow the shocked gasp, that escaped his mouth.

Sakura didn't look at him, didn't dare look at him. She knew, this made everything so much worse, especially since Kakashi was by no means an idiot. He would find out, what had been going on for the past two years…

"His hands weren't enough for him anymore?!?" the silver-haired man asked bitterly.

She shook her head.

"How long?"

There it was again. The question, that had driven her away in the first place, but Kakashi couldn't help himself. He wanted, no, needed to know. The pink-haired girl didn't answer, but her head sank even lower and that was all the response he needed. Taking a deep breath to calm himself, he tried to grasp this new little piece of information, that he was presented with. This evening was so full of surprises, none of which he had ever wanted her to go through in her young life. She must have been through hell these past years. Sure, it had been bad everytime, but at least he had "just" beaten her.

If he was using knifes, whips and what else…

…this bordered torture!

"Dear gods." He whispered, pondering this for a moment. "Why haven't you said anything?"

Sakura bit her lip.

"How could you let this slide, Sakura?"

She could hear the disappointment in his voice, even though he tried hard not to let it show, as he readjusted her bandages. He was disappointed in her, that she had chosen to hide for so long, that she wouldn't do anything about it. That she had been weak! He was so terribly disappointed, she just knew, and it was killing her. She didn't want to be a failure in his eyes, for some reason, she wanted him to be proud of her. As proud as he was of Naruto and Sasuke, who both belonged to the greatest shinobi of the Leaf, yet she wanted his pride to be different from what he felt for his other two students and she didn't understand it.

"You didn't heal yourself." He finally stated, after he was done tending to her.

"I…" she trailed off. She was going to disappoint him again, but she didn't want to say it out loud, because that would make it all so final.

"You aren't going to go to the Hokage with me first thing in the morning." This, too, was a statement and he had that tone in his voice again. She looked up at him, because his voice had been muffled, only to find him rubbing his mask-covered face in frustration- or maybe it was despair?! Whatever it was, she had put it there and she hated herself for it!

"I'm…just not ready, sensei. I'm sorry…" Sakura murmured, lowering her head again. She didn't want to look at him and see, how she was straining his sanity. "I…I'll try, but… I don't know, if…"

"You don't have time forever, you know." He reminded her. "You're a medic, Sakura. You know better than me, that injuries heal and it's going to happen faster, since you are a kunoichi. You don't have much time to decide."

"I know." She mumbled.

"A week."

"Huh?"

"I'll give you a week." Kakashi told her firmly. "If you decide, that you don't want to go report **that bastard**, than I'll respect that. But if you haven't made up your mind until the end of the week, I'll have you go talk to the Hokage, even if I have to drag you with me. Seven days, Sakura, and not a minute more."

The pink-haired kunoichi stood there dumb-founded, looking up at her sensei's exposed dark eye, that shone with determination. He would make good on his…was it a threat? Or a promise? However you wanted to define it, he would go through with it. He was obviously tired of letting it happen, while just standing on the sideline and watching, when he could break her father's neck- both metaphorically and literally!

"Come on, let's get you tugged in." He suddenly said with a glance at the clock. It was already one o'clock in the morning and he needed to give a mission report to Tsunade in the morning. Picking the small girl up into his arms, he carried her to his bed bridal style and layed her down onto the soft matress, like he had done so many times, before sliding the covers over her. Their routine was broken, though, when, instead of turning around, he just lifted off his hitae-iate (spelling?) and put it onto the nightstand, then crawling into bed. Lying down behind his former student, he rested an arm around her waist, inching closer until his front touched her back and he could smell his own shampoo coming from her hair.

His heart made a little jump.

He dismissed it, when he kissed Sakura's temple and wished her 'sweet dreams'. They settled comfortably. It wasn't long, before the young girl had fallen into a peaceful slumber. Kakashi on the other hand was still wide awake, as he was thinking about ways to get his young cherry blossom away from her father… wait, _his_young cherry blossom?!? Since when was she his? Shrugging off the involuntary thought, he went back to the wrokings of his mind, playing through different scenarios, none of them really effective- not without having her admitting, that she was being abused. He would just keep her with him, but her father would certainly go in search for her, and if they found the girl in his apartment, in his bed no less, it would be trouble! No, he couldn't risk that. He would probably be accused of manhandling his own student and no one would believe him then, if he told them, what was really going on. Even if Sakura defended him, they would just say, he had used his sharingan on her and-

A thought struck him.

Looking down at the little kunoichi in his arms, he decided, that risking her wrath was better, than sitting on his hands and do nothing…

Sakura awoke a few hours later due to the warning bells of her shinobi senses, going off in the back of her mind. Something about her surroundings had changed and set her off. She was immediately wide awake… okay, maybe a little, fine, very groggy. Taking in, where she was, she noticed, that Kakashi's arm was around her chest now, his hand thankfully resting on her shoulder, but that wasn't what set her off. It wasn't like he was groping her in his sleep, after all. Listening into the darkness, she soon noticed, what had disturbed her surprisingly nightmare-less sleep:

Kakashi was snoring.

It wasn't very loud, and fortunately it was even, so that she would be able to go back to sleep, but he was snoring none the less. That was, to say the least, odd. On all the missions in the history of Team Seven and Team Kakashi, she had never heard the man snore in his sleep, not in the dry deserts on their way to Suna, nor in the cold night in Snow or whatever other country they had come across. Yet, here he was, snoring.

She found it to be endearing…

'_What the hell?!?'_ Sakura thought, startled. _'Get a grip, girl. He's your sensei, for crying out loud!'_

_**'And right there, behind you, his arm around your chest and his nose in your hair." Inner Sakura commented. 'Speaking of which, this is the perfect opportunity to see what's under that mask of his… Go for it!'**_

_'How could I do that? Now, aside from the fact, that he has me in a death grip, I couldn't take advantage of him._

'_**Suit yourself, but it's your loss. I bet he's hot!'**_

_"WHAT?!? Whoa, stop right there! He's our sensei, you can't think about him like that.'_

_**'Maybe, but I'm you, so you're thinking about him like that.'**_

'_But…I…no!'_

_**'Oh, yes, dearie.'**_

'_Hmpf!'_

_**'Fine, be that way, but you'll regret it, not to have taken a chance, when it was right infront of your nose- or rather, right behind you!'**_

"Surely not." Sakura huffed, silently as to not to wake her former sensei. Settling down again, she moved his arm down to her waist again. Not that it disturbed her, where it had been, but this way, she could lay her hand over his and entwine their fingers without getting into an uncomfortable position. She fell back asleep at once.

When he was sure, the pink-haired girl was back into the land of dreams, the Copy Nin cracked an eye open. He had been awake ever since Sakura's body had tensed in alarm beside him, thinking that she was having a nightmare. He had been relieved, when he had noticed, that that wasn't the case and had continued faking sleep. Her whispered words intrigued him, made him wonder, what she had been contemplating. It had probably to do with the position, they were in and for a moment he feared, that she was going to put a little distance between their bodies, that the two-year-lonmg absence and her growing body had made it awkward for her to be around a man like this, even if it was just him. Not to mention, that after what happened…

Tightening his embrace, he snuggled closer still. His mind was set. He was going through with his plan.

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The next morning found him at the Hokage's office at eight o'clock. When he entered the room, the blonde Hokage sitting behind her desk, almost let her sake cup burst into pieces on the ground. It had slipped out of her fingers, when seeing him, and Tsunade just barely caught it an inch above the wooden floor. Rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment, his eye crinkling with an amused smile, he heard the older woman clear her throat.

"Our meeting was at 7:30, Hatake."

"Hm." Was all he said.

"I haven't expected you for another hour or so."

"Yes, well-"

"Just give me the report and spill it already. I don't have time for one of your more eloquent preambles, there's a lot of paperwork, that needs to be done." And indeed, her desk was aching under the weight of several little mountains of folders, scrolls, letters and what else. Surely, she wasn't working on any of it, as her chair was turned to the side and the honey-eyed Sannin hadn't torn her gaze off of the landscape yet.

"I want a mission."

"A mission?" Now he had her undivided attention. "You just came back from one."

"Yes, but I need another."

"For what purpose?"

"Training Sakura."

The moment, he had said it, he knew, he should've kept his mouth shut. The Godaime had closed her eyes, which were twitching in irritation by now. Her hands fisted, destroying the cup, she'd just safed shortly before. Her lips were drawn into a thin line, pale against her tanned skin.

"So, you think, I don't train my apprentice good enough, Hatake?" she asked with barely contained anger. "You think, you can do better, after you pretty much ignored her for the whole year, she was in your care-"

"That's exactly the point, Hokage-sama…" He tried to placate her. "I want to make up for past mistakes. I'm sure you train her hard and she's already very capable of handling herself in a battle, but, if I may be so blunt-"

"You are already!" Tsunade hissed.

"Then it won't hurt, if I take it a little further, right?" Kakashi asked back, eye crinkling again.

"No, but it might hurt **you**."

The Copy Nin chuckled slightly, before speaking up again:

"Sakura is a natural genjutsu user and, with all due respect, you are not really and expert on that territory, but I'm sure, you will agree, that it would be a shame to waste her talent. That's why I wanted to ask you for an easy mission, that gives me the possibility to teach her a few tricks. With your permission, Tsunade-hime."

The Hokage growled, but couldn't argue with his logic. It was strange, though, that he asked now of all times. As far as she had known, her apprentice and the Scarecrow hadn't had any real contact in almost two years. Why would he worry about Sakura's training now? Was it really just about wasted time in her youth or did the Copy Nin have an ulterior motive? For a moment, she contemplated asking him, but dismissed that idea, since she wouldn't get any decent answer anyway. She was uneasy with his suggestion, though she couldn't say why. There was something, the silver-haired man wasn't telling her, but the edge in his voice was giving it off. Something was wrong… Well, of course, it could just be, that he wanted to get closer to Sakura again, that he really wanted to make up for past sins, but somehow, she didn't believe, that was all, there was to it. However, he was not going to tell her, so there was only one way to find out.

"Fine." She snapped, throwing a scroll at his chest with such force, the Yondaime's student stumbled back a few steps. "This is a B-ranked mission. You are to take that scroll to Sunagakure, however, the Kazekage is in no rush to get it, so you can take whatever time you need to-"

"A week."

She raised an eyebrow at him, then shrugged.

"Whatever. Just get it to Suna safely."

"Why is this B-rank?"

"Because bandits are waiting aside from the road. Nothing dangerous, just a bunch of low-lifes. However, it's a rather large bunch of low-lifes, so be careful. I want my apprentice back in one piece."

"And me?" he questioned in mock hurt.

"You?" she repeated, an evil grin on her face. "You can go get pneumonia for all I care! It's already autumn after all."

"Thank you for your kind words, Tsunade-sama, I'm sure we'll have a safe journey."

"Yeah, yeah, just get the hell out of my office!" she barked right back at him.

Kakashi shook his head and 'poofed' away.

"Doesn't anyone use the door anymore?!?" the Hokage coughed in irritation. "Shizune!"

"Yes, Tsunade?"

"Get me an ANBU Team here, pronto."

_'I'll find out, what you're up to, Hatake.'_

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"Sakura?"

"Huh?" she grunted at being awoken from her sleep. Sitting up with half-lidded eyes, she looked around the bedroom, to find her old sensei already dressed and packed in the door, gazing bck at her with an amised crinkle in his dark grey eye.

"You'll have to get out of bed, sleepy-head. "We have a mission."

"Huhuh." Came Sakura's taciturn reply.

She stood up and was about to go to the bathroom to change, when she stopped in mid-motion, an expression of horror on her face.

"Come again?"

"We…have…a…mission. Do I have to spell it out for you, my little cherry blossom?"

"You…If we have… then you…" She gulped. "…You've seen…Ts-tsu-"

"Tsunade, darling, yes. It isn't that hard to spell…" he almost laughed at her antics, yet inwardly he frowned at himself. Why had he called her 'darling'? And 'my little cherry blossom', what was that all about?!? Yet, it seemed so...natural...

'_I'm going insane.'_

"Don't worry, I didn't tell her anything. I just asked for a mission, so you could make your choice uninfluenced by your…**father**!" he spit the last word out as if it were an insult.

"And you?"

"I'll hold my tongue, I promise." He said in a solemn voice. "Now hurry and get dressed, we still have to get your things and I want to be out of the village by noon."

Sakura nodded, relieved that he hadn't told her shishou. His idea wasn't half-bad, too. She actually welcomed the possibility of getting away from her father and she couldn't think of anyone, she'd feel less awkward around at the moment, than him. Hastily throwing her clothes on, she ran after him as he walked out the door. On their way to her mother's house, they kept silent. By the dark look in Kakashi's eye and the hard line of his jaw, he was obviously in a bad mood, getting wrose with every step they took. Once there, he didn't even give her father so much as a nod, before telling him in a rather aggressive tone, that they would be gone for a while, while she hurried upstairs to get her things and not to mention put a new set of bindings on. Her other had been torn the night before. Sakura shuddered at the memory, tears stung in her eyes again as she remembered her father's wandering hands and-

"Sakura?" Kakashi's voice called her.

"Uh…I'm coming!" she answered with, blinking away the moisture in the corner of her emerald orbs, before flying down the stairs again, backpack in one hand, kunai pouch in the other. The silver-haired man nodded at her and walked off towards the gates. She followed him without a goodbye.

"You alright?" he asked, as soon as they were out of ear-shot.

"Uh… not really."

"Hm."

"Where are we headed for anyway? You didn't say anything, when you came back."

"Oh. Well, we're taking a scroll to the Kazekage."

"To Gaara?"

"Do you know another Kazekage in Suna, Sakura?" he asked her, chuckling.

Her cheeks flared in embarrassment.

"…no."

They set off into the trees a moment later as they passed the gates, not noticing, that two shadows had kept following them ever since they had left Sakura's home.

_**End of chapter!**_

_**A/N: Well, another chapter done. What could Kakashi be up to? Is he really going to teach Sakura new technigues? And what will Sakura decide? Will she go report to her shishou once the two get back, or not? And how will their relationship evolve until then? So many questions! A few answers in the next chapter.**_


	4. Genjutsu

**_Kiss Me Goodnight_**

**Disclaimer: Completely forgotten before: Naruto doesn't belong to me, the plot does, though!**

**KakaSaku**

**A/N: Please read! Ok, so this is the last chapter before CHRISTMAS BREAK. I'm going to my parent's for Christmas and New Year and have to leave my computer at my own place. Therfore, I highly doubt, I'll be able to update in the next two or three weeks or so (starting from Saturday), because I'm almost 100 sure, that my father won't lend me his long enough, to write another chapter. (He's a little possesive about his computer).**

Chapter 4: Genjutsu

They traveled in silence for the most part, both of them absorbed into their own thoughts. Sakura was contemplating, if it had been a wise idea to tell the Copy Nin in the first place, because what did reach her from him, set her off. He had gone mute, it seemed. Not, that Hatake Kakashi had ever been very talkative, but the silence, that had fallen between them, had nothing to do with that. The silver-haired elite was holding up his little, orange book like all the other times, but he wasn't reading it, Sakura was sure. If he were, she would hear some of his creepy giggles once in a while- he would do that just to annoy her!

But all that reached Sakura was silence.

Silence and a massive amount of killing intent…

The pink-haired medic wasn't sure, what to make of that. It was definitely not directed at her in any way and had her father as goal instead, but Sakura just couldn't decide, what to think about this. Sure, her father was a bastard. No arguing in that point. And Sakura didn't ever want to see him again, but he was still her father. If she decided to tell Tsunade, what had transpired under the blonde woman's nose, her father would be tried for rape. He would be sentenced to death!

And Sakura wasn't sure, if she wanted that!

Not because, he didn't deserve it. He did. But wouldn't it mean, she would be just as bad as him?!? She would put harm to her own family and be responsible for her father's death. Wouldn't that make her even worse of a human being? Not to mention, that her sensei and her shishou- for once of the same opinion- would probably find a way to make sure, her father died in agony. So she would be responsible for the pain as well.

Could she really do that?

Another glance at Kakashi confirmed her suspicion, that he had been fakinf to read for her sake, so that their mission seemed somewhat normal. He had put down his book and was watching the back-side of his eyelids, his only uncovered eye closed as if he had just made a diffucult decision, and his coscience was plaguing him. Or rather, whatever was left of it after over two decades of faithful, but bloody service as a shinobi…

"It's getting late, we'll make camp here."

Sakura nodded and plopped down onto the ground, shrugging her backpack off her shoulders and taking the tent out. Gazing back at her sensei, she noticed, that he wasn't doing the same. Instead, he put traps and alarms systems into place, so no one would be able to approach them without being noticed at once. The girl's brows furrowed (sp?) in confusion for a moment, she was sure, he did have a tent in his pack, he always had.

He was Kakashi.

She was just opening her mouth to say something, when it struck her. This was another thing, he did for her sake. When it happened before, she had always curled up against him in his bed and been gone the next morning. She was sure, he had been awake every time, but he hadn't said anything and let her make the decision. That was, what he was doing now, too. They had normally only passed one night snuggled together under the blankets, but then again, something like this never happened before. So, he was allowing her to decide, if she needed him close enough to feel his warmth and the safety he provided. Sakura closed her mouth, biting on her lower lip.

It was thoughtful, to say the least.

'_He's being so considerate.'_ She thought.

"Sakura?" his voice floated over to her.

The girl nodded.

"I'll set the tent, you go and get us some water. There's a river near by." He infrormed her gently.

The pink-haired jounin nodded again, taking the bottle he held out for her and standing, but his voice stopped her again. Kakashi was standing now as well. He held something else out for her, a little object, similar to a gun. Sakura's eyes widened a fraction as she saw the injection pistol. Snapping her emerald orbs up to her silver-haired sensei's face, she took in the uncertain look there.

"I stopped at the hospital on my way from the Hokage Tower back to my apartment. I wasn't sure, if you would remember it, in case he… he didn't…use…" the Copy Nin trailed off, unable to finish the phrase, but his eyes never left her's.

_'What the hell is happening to me?!? I read porn in public, for Kami's sake! Why do I suddenly have a problem with the word…'_

"A condom?" Sakura asked bitterly, averting her eyes to the ground, thinking back. No, he hadn't…

_'Well, that's another way of putting it.'_

"Yeah." Kakashi replied, rubbing the back of his neck with his free hand. He didn't understand, why he had put her in the position of having to finish his phrase, though. He had read Icha Icha for the better part of his life, after all. The series normally treated consentual sex, but Jiraya had although written one or two rape scenes throughout his books and he'd never been this disturbed by it. Probably, because those had been fictional characters expiriencing it. This, however, was Sakura, his (former) student and she was real and she was here and a book just couldn't compare with the terrible reality.

"Thank you…" the girl murmured, bringing him back into reality, before she ran off towards the river.

Kakasahi's keen nose could still smell the salty scent of her tears.

'_I'm sorry, Sakura, but I have to do this. Forgive me, if you can.'_ The silver-haired man thought, before turning to face the bushes.

"You can come out now, I know you're there. We need to talk."

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The two ANBU had secretly followed the Copy Nin and his former student. The complete silence between the two had been the first thing, they noticed. Next came Sakura's obvious uncomfortable feelings. She had been tense and had glanced at her mission partner every few minutes. Along with Kakashi's obvious murderous intent, he was radiating out, they had thought, that the two of them had had a fight. The ANBU quickly dismissed that thought, though, seeing as Kakashi himself had requested this mission. And why would he do that, if he hated the cherry blossom?

That, however, made everything more confusing.

Taking a closer look, they realized, that the silver-haired shinobi's gaze seemed somewhat distant. It was hard and unforgiving, but definitely not intended towards the pink-haired woman. Still, they wondered about what kind of connection there was between the emotional states of the two so very different jounin, because there was no arguing, that there was a connection in the first place.

When Kakashi announced, they would make camp, the ANBU were astonished. It wasn't really that late, yet. The sun was sinking behind the horizion, yes, but normally that wouldn't stop the Scarecrow- or any other self-respecting jounin for that matter, not to mention ex-ANBU operatives.

Then again, there was no such thing as an **ex-ANBU**, since the elite quad was a life-long commitment!

"What do you think this really is about?" the younger ANBU asked, adjusting his Squirrel-mask, while watching their two targets make camp from a safe distance. With Kakashi's keen senses, you could never be too sure.

"I don't know, but we're going to find out." The other one answered from behind his Lion-mask. Then, he frowned. "Why isn't Sempai unpacking his tent?"

"Maybe he forgot it?!?" the younger elite suggested.

His captain gave him a very disbelieving look from behind his mask.

"He's getting old." The dark-haired boy defended, shrugging.

Lion just scoffed at that.

They watched on as Kakashi finished, setting all the traps and even some extra, before returning to Sakura, who hadn't moved a finger yet. She seemed to be contemplating something, because her mouth hang open as if she had been about to speak up and her brows were furrowed in concentration. Then suddenly she bit her lip as if ashamed of something and in the next moment, she was obviously on the verge of tears.

What the hell?!?

Next thing, the ANBU registered was Kakashi telling her to get some water, then stopping her again, when she was about to comply. Narrowing their eyes to make out, what Kakashi was holding, the two of them both gasped, when they saw a Birth Control Injection Pistol lying in his hands for the girl to take.

"I stopped at the hospital on my way from the Hokage Tower back to my apartment. I wasn't sure, if you would remember it, in case he… he didn't…use…" they both heard the Copy Nin's words and wondered at the same time:

He?

"Who is 'he'?" Squirrel asked.

Lion just shrugged. He was as confused as the boy. Now there was a third party involved into this. Tsunade was right, something was off with the two of them. First, they didn't talk more than three words in two years and now Kakashi asked for a short mission with his only female student, to teach her genjutsu?!? Something was wrong. Terribly wrong.

They just didn't know, how wrong.

"You can come out now, I know you're there. We need to talk."

At that phrase, the two ANBU's heart stopped for a moment. How had he known, they were there? They had always made sure, to keep a safe distance and travel against the wind, right? And they hadmasked their chakra, like they were ordered to. Like only ANBU knows how to and ANBU had recorded the range of his seses, too. So how did he manage to notice them?

"I'm not a kid anymore. My senses are keener now, than they have been, when I was still working for ANBU." Kakashi calmly stated at their unasked question.

Sighing, Lion motioned for his young partner rise from his crouching position and give up their hiding spot. Leisurely strolling towards the silver-haired male, they slid off their masks- he had probably recognized them as well. Infact, they couldn't find any surprise to be written on his face, at seeing them.

"Yamato. Sai." The Copy Nin lazily greeted. "I'll give you the short version, because Sakura won't take long. That okay with you?"

Yamato spread his arms wide, confusion on his face.

"Please, enlighten us, sempai."

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When Sakura came back, Kakashi had set up the tent and already started a fire. Her sensei was sitting with his back against the trunk of a tree, one leg bent and reading his book, this time for real. When he noticed her however, put his orange companion down and looked up at her. He didn't say anything and it wasn't needed. She smiled at him, a fake smile, but it told him, what he needed to know. As expected it hadn't taken her too long and Kakashi was really grateful, Yamato and Sai were too eager to give Sakura's father the beating of his life to ask questions.

Even though, they had been quite unhappy, when he had told them, under which conditions to tell Tsunade.

He couldn't blame them, though. He wanted to beat the bastard to a bloody pulp himself, but it would have to wait. Sakura was more important, right now. Coming back into the real world again, he saw her boiling the water and cooking their dinner. Fortunenately, they didn't have Naruto with them, or else it would be Cup Ramen. Like this, they had brought a few things, fresh things, they could cook. Once dinner was ready, she gave him his plate, before filling one for her own and turning around, so he could eat in peace, without having to fear anyone peaking at what was underneath his mask.

Kakashi chuckled.

They ate in silence. Sakura thinking about their mission, just to distract heself from bad memories and Kakashi contemplating, if he had done the right thing in telling Yamato and Sai. Sighing, he dismissed his worries- he couldn't take it back now, anyway- and slid his mask over his face again, before setting down his dish. Turning to Sakura, he cleared his throat, to get her attention. Fearing he had choked on his soup, the young woman turned around hastily, to find him gazing at her intently. Confused, she responded in kind, staring at his dark grey eye, that seemed to suck her into itself, away from reality and into a dream. A dream of peace and quiet.

"I told you, I requested this mission, so you could make your decision-"

And the spell was broken. Her body tensed at the mere thought, because thinking about the decision would mean thinking about **it** and that really was the last thing, whe wanted to do. Sakura wanted nothing more, than forget that it ever happened, yet the images of her father above her wouldn't go away. They would come to haunt her, if not at night for his strong arms around her petite frame, then during the day, when he couldn't be that close to her.

How her father talked to her…

How he touched her… groped her…

How he kissed her…lciked and bit at her…

And how he…

"There is one more reason, I wanted us to go on this mission. I want to teach you a way, to defend yourself from his attacks, without having to hurt him."

The pink-haired girl looked up at him, hopefully. If he could teach her that, there was no reson to go to Tsunade, right?

"Wrong." Kakashi answered in his sensei voice, as if he had read her mind. "Because I won't accept that as a reason, when you finally make your decision. I will teach you, but not so you can evade from your responsibility to decide. Understood?"

"…Yes, sensei." Sakura replied, gaze on the ground again.

"Good. Now, what I'm going to teach you is a genjutsu. It's an A-ranked technigue and needs perfect chakra control. You're good at that, but this still won't be easy and the only way to learn it, is to expirience it for yourself. You need to know what it does to understand, how it works. Okay?" He asked, his voice growing a little softer again.

"Uh…I guess." The young girl answered timidly.

"Then, I'll start now…" the Copy Nin announced, flying rapidly through a set of seals. The last thing, Sakura saw, was his expression of uncertainy, as if he might have done something wrong.

Then the world went black!

**(Within the genjutsu)**

_Sakura opened her eyes and found herself sitting several meters away from Kakashi. He was reading his book again. The way he lazily leaned against that trunk, as if he didn't have a care in the world, awakened her envy a little. She wished, her life would be as simple as that, having nothing to do but missions, sleeping, eating and reading porn! And maybe meeting up at the bar with a few of her friends once in a while._

_For some time, it had been like this for her too._

_Then, her mother died and her father became her legal guardian. Because she was a kunoichi of the Leaf, she couldn't just move to Moon Country, so her father had to come back to Konoha to attend to his new duties. He never forgave her for that! At first, it had just been mutual hatred and anger, not spoken out loud, but the silence was enough. Then, one day, he had given her her first slap. It had been as if all hell broke loose from that point on. He hadn't stopped himself anymore, until she ran out of the house and away from him into some dark alley or other._

_There, her sensei had found her._

_He had taken care of her ever since that moment. Whenever she needed him, it seemed he was right there. Even if it wasn't because of her father, but maybe a failed surgery, Kakashi had stepped up behind her, his hand on her shoulder and listened and comforted. But it were those times, he had treated her on his couch, that had made him grow on her- much more, than she cared to admit! He was always there, always ready to help her and she wasn't giving him anything back, was she?_

_Looking up, she found him reading still._

_Without thinking about it, she stood up and walked over to him. When her shadow was cast over his figure, he looked up, a question in his eye:_

_How can I help?_

_Like always, he took care of her. Her eyes welling up with tears, she kneeled down and hugged him. Surprised, he tensed slightly. He obviously hadn't expected her to hug him out of nowhere. Crying softly, she locked gazes with him. There was care in his eye, but behind that, she found shadows. Flickers of pain and loss and a wounded soul, that was afraid to show. Sakura had known these fears to be there, but had never felt able to do anything about it. What kind of comfort could she give such a jaded man as Kakashi? She was just a little girl, compared to him. Yet, she wanted to catch all of his demons away, like he did for her._

"Thank you."_ She whispered._

"What for?"

"Everything."

_Kakashi chuckled and repositioned her on his lap, so they were both more comfortable. Sakura blushed a deep shade of red. This was nothing short of inappropriate. He was her sensei and she was his student, well former, but still. Yet, for some reason, she couldn't bring herself to care anymore. He was there, so close, so warm, so real, she couldn't help but like the feeling of being right were she was._

_In his arms._

_A tingling feeling made it's way from her stomach to her heart, but she ignored it. She didn't want to think about the implications of that feeling right now, when he was pulling her against him in a tight embrace- still under the cover of the night, but not under the disguise of sleep. She could feel their chests pressing further together with every breath they took, could feel the air that left his lung against her temple and could smell the scent of his skin. It was an earthern scent, subtle but strong._

_How could she never have noticed?!?_

_He smelled like the Konoha Forest after a rainy summer day._

"Mmh… You smell nice sensei."

**(In the real world)**

"Mmh…You smell nice, sensei."

Said sensei almost got a heart attack from that statement. He gulped. Not, that he didn't appreciate her words. Quite the contrary, actually. It put a smug smirk on his face, while he watched the girl, he had leaned against the trunk opposite to him, for further comments. Unfortunately- or maybe it was a good thing- there didn't come anymore, so he dispelled the genjutsu with a decisive "Kai!"

"Huh?…" Sakura made, sleepily.

"Welcome back, princess." Kakashi's cheery voice answered.

He seemed to be in quite a good mood.

"What happened?"

"You tell me. What did you see?"

"You mean, you don't know?"

"Would I be asking, if I did, silly?!" Kakashi smiled. As he saw her frown at the comment, he decided to explain. "This genjutsu shows you, whatever you want to do most in the moment, it is cast upon you. However, it requires different amounts of chakra, depending on what kind of thing you would like to do, that's what makes it so difficult. I can show you the hand seals, but you need to learn by trying to put yourself under the genjutsu and then you-"

"Why can't I try on you?"

"Remember what I said about different amounts of chakra?"

"Yeah, that it depends, what you want to do…" Sakura repeated, confused.

"Well, violent dreams cost much more chakra than 'picking flowers', for example." The Copy Nin told his pink-haired student.

"Oh…" She realized.

He still wanted to kill her father…

**End of chapter!**

**A/N: What to say? Hope you enjoyed it! Please review!  
_Merry Crhistmas and a Happy New Year!_**

**Mayet**


	5. Desert Moon

**_Kiss Me Goodnight_**

**KakaSaku**

**A/N: I came back from my Christmas break with a new chapter for you. Enjoy!**

**P.S.: I hope, you all had pleasant Holidays.**

**Chapter 5: Desert Moon**

She'd been practicing for days on end. She had tried so many times, cast the genjutsu over herself, while Kakashi guarded their surroundings, again and again. She could do the necessary hand seals almost as fast as her sensei by the time they reached Suna, and she could tell by intuition, how much chakra she would need. She was perfect in the process itself, fast and efficienct.

Yet, she couldn't seem to get it right!

Something seemed to always go wrong. Something must've been going on, or she wouldn't be seeing the same every time she put herself under the genjutsu. Yet, she was always sitting or standing somewhere near the Copy Nin, his arm around her shoulder, his hand caressing through her hair, or cupping her cheek, his masked lips kissing the top of her head, his arms tightly around her body, or her slim form snuggling closer into his chest for a good night's rest.

It couldn't be.

Either she couldn't get the genjutsu right, or something was seriously wrong with her… She really hoped, it was not the latter. The last thing she needed right now, was to be crushing on her gentle, kind, forthcoming, selfless, handsome…

Argh!

Sakura fisted her hands into her hair. This couldn't be happening. Why was it happening?!? To her of all people, no less. Why couldn't it happen to Ino? Well, Asuma-sensei had died. Moegi? Ebisu was too weird, and prudish, besides, she had the hots for Konohamaru. Hinata? Had a female sensei. Temari? Already in love with the Nara-boy. Tenten? Eww, no comment!!!

'_Apparently, I'm the only one with a decently gorgeous enough sensei, you could fall in love with…'_ Sakura concluded. _'Wait, who said anything about love?!? This is just some stupid crush, it has to be!… Because he always takes care for me, yeah, that's it. That has to be it. Please, dear Kami-sama, let that be the reason!"_

But no matter, how much she wished, it wasn't very convincing- not even to Sakura herself!

Standing up and exiting from her bath, she grabbed a towel, and started drying herself off. Once, she was done she took a second one of the fluffy items and wrapped it around her hair- at least until it stopped dripping- before slipping on her bathrobe. Leaving the bathroom, she went to her backpack she'd previously thrown on her bed, and took out some loose shirt and pants she'd packed as pajamas. Once fully clothed again, she crawled up to where the pillows lay on the kindsize bed of her guest room in the Kazekage's tower. Falling onto the soft things, spent, she lazily pulled the covers over her head, and tried to get some sleep. Trying the genjutsu for hours after dinner with the Kazekage and his siblings, had exhausted her more than training with Tsunade for a whole day ever did. She closed her eyes, and waited for sleep to overcome her, but till now it seemed a long time coming. Concentrating with the last bit of energy she had, Sakura tried to understand what was wrong. She had a wonderful matress, soft pillows, thin sheets because of the heat of the desert. It was dark outside already, only the full moon and a few stars shining gently from the sky, and it was completely silent. Perfect conditions for sleep…

Yet, something was missing.

Analyzing this feeling of slight emptyness, the pink-haired girl soon realized that she missed the warmth of a second body beside her. Kakashi's body. They'd slept together in the tent for their three day travel to the Sand with Kakashi's hounds keeping watch. The silver-haired man had always shifted as close to her as possible, one arm around her to give her the opportunity to relish in the safety his warmth and strength provided. Now, that they had arrived in Suna, they were given separate rooms, of course. Therfore, she was missing out on this closeness she needed.

Having analyzed her problem the best she could, Sakura raised groggily from her bed and slipped out of her room silently.

**333333**

For all over the dinner, Kakashi had been closed off, ignoring most peoples conversations as much as possible with someone asking him questions every five minutes. This someone was mostly Kankuro, who'd been- thank the gods- shut up by his more observant sister. The blonde had immediately caught on his lacking interest in all kinds of talking, and saved him from any more annoying conversationalists.

That was, until the Kazekage asked, why he and Sakura had been sent on the mission.

"Oh, well. He asked for us to take this mission," Sakura explained the red-head, looking meaningful into his direction. "Kakashi-sensei is teaching me a new genjutsu."

"Really?"

"Yeah," said jounin replied. "You see, Tsunade isn't really an expert at genjutsu, yet Sakura-chan is a natural. I didn't want the talent to go to waste."

"But why going on a mission, Kakashi-san? Surely, you could've taught her in Konoha as well?"

"But Sakura hadn't been on a mission in ages, just pulling shifts at the hospital, so I thought she might enjoy a little trip. Plus, Gai was getting a little too annoying again, and I needed to flee the village as soon as possible."

"I see," the Kazekage had answered, and left the conversation at that, but it was apparent that the former vessel for Shukaku didn't believe a word of it. Maybe Tsunade had already sent a messenger hawk to inform Gaara of what Yamato and Sai had told her? Whatever the reason for the Kazekage's distrustfulness, Kakashi decided to be careful around him. He may not be a psycopath anymore, but he was still a very dangerous man…well, boy.

Leaning back against the wall at the head of his bed, the lazy Copy Nin switched on the lights to read some Icha Icha. He hadn't gotten much of that in these past few days. Not that he minded. Sakura was more important than some book, even if it was his beloved dirty companion.

'_There, I'm doing it again,' _he scolded himself, _'I'm thinking about her way too much for my own good. Why can't I stop thinking about her?'_

He knew why, and it was bothering him greatly. They'd gotten closer through all this drama- even two years of not speaking with each other couldn't change that! They'd gotten closer than a teacher and his student should. Yes, they were equals now, and yes, he was friends with all of his former students, but this was different. He wasn't just friends with Sakura. He was… something more… yet, something less than what they could be.

Anf for that, at least, he was grateful.

They hadn't crossed that invisible line yet. They'd gotten close, dangerously close. Maybe they had even put a toe over it once in a while- especially in these last few days of cuddling under the blankets, of hugging, and caressing, and kissing the other goodnight. But they hadn't done anything inappropriate. They had done nothing that friends, or maybe siblings wouldn't do, if the other was in trouble, right?

Right?!?

Still, Kakashi knew, if this went on at this rate, it wouldn't be long before they did something stupid, something that could ruin their lifes forever. He knew that he had to stop this… whatever-it-was from growing even more, starting with sleeping in separate beds. Yeah, that was a good start, he had thought. Unfortunately, his body and heart didn't agree with his mind, and though he couldn't find any sleep. When he was about to stand up, and go looking for her, his mind argued that it was the right thing to do, while his heart argued that he could only be sure she was safe, when she was within the circle of his arms.

At this point, he decided some Icha Icha was in order to take his mind off of Sakura.

But even his trusty book couldn't help him, he couldn't concentrate on the pictures and words on the pages, and when he could, Sakura would appear out of nowhere to replace the busty brunette on the pages. Shit! He was such a pervert! How could this be happening to him?!? Quickly shutting the book, he switched the lights back off, and layed down again, waiting for dreamland to open it's doors to his foggy mind.

The sound of the door being opened, had him wide awake again.

The intruder had disguised his or her chakra signature, but Kakashi knew who it was, anyway. Her pale bubblegum- coloured hair sticking out in the moonlight like Naruto's orange clothing in the forest- or anywhere else, really. Sighing slightly, he waited until he felt the matress sink a little under her weight. When she had made herself comfortable, he scooted closer to her, until his larger body spooned her smaller frame, his arm went automatically around her waist, and she snuggled closer still. His heart and body sudenly felt in place, and even his mind forgot every possible way to argue, once the vanilly scent of her shampoo filled his nostrils.

So much for his good intentions…

**333333**

_(Konoha, two days prior)_

"He did WHAT?!?" a furious Hokage yelled at the two ANBU, that had just reported bck to her. It was incredible, how fast her mood changed. At first angry, that they hadn't kept following Kakashi for more than a day, her attitude changer 180 degree once they'd finished retelling, what Kakashi had explained to them.

"…" Neuther ANBU dared repeat that, now.

"Ugh! Wait until I GET MY HANDS ON HIM!" the blonde woman screamed at the tops of her lungs, as she stood from her chair, and rounded her table making a quick walk for the door. Only, there were her two ANBU hindering her way. The honey-eyed woman tapped her foot at them, her eye twitching dangerously, telling them they better explained before she forgot herself.

"Kakashi-sempai kindly asks you to wait, until he and Sakura are back from their mission, so she can tell you herself," Yamato hastily spit out.

"And why would I do that?" Tsunade growled.

"How would you know about this without Sakura telling you. Kakashi-sama promised, not to tell anyone, and to let her decide, whether or not she would come to you-"

"Well, he shouldn't have!"

"- and you'll need her evidence for the trial-" Sai continued, only to be interrupted again.

"What trial?!? I'll just snap his neck myself!"

"- Furthermore, Kakashi-sama warns about killing him, as that wouldn't be enough in his opinion-"

"Mmh, he's right for once," the Hokage mumbled.

"-plus, Kakashi-sama wants to partake in the beating, as well as probably the whole ANBU staff, and half Konoha, once this gets out. It should be public." Sai sighed in relief, that he was finally able to finish his statement- and without being punched through a wall for wasting the Hokage's time, no less!

"Hmpf!" Tsunade made, but yielded. "Oh, fine. We'll do it his way… But I want the biggest piece of that pedophile!"

Both Yamato and Sai sweatdropped.

A knock could be heard.

"Hokage-sama, I'd like to talk to you," the visitor announced himself.

"Speak of the devil…" Tsunade grumbled. "Hide your presence, but stay here. I'm not sure, if I'd be able to control myself, otherwise."

The ANBU nodded, disappearing from sight, yet still within the office walls, though not sure, if they could, either- or if they would even try to stop their boss, if her control slipped. The door opened, when Tsunade asked her visitor in. A massive man entered the office, grey streaks already lit his black hair. His viridian eyes scanned the office, finding the Hokage infront of her bookshelf. The honey-eyed woman was faking to have been reading a scroll about medical theory. She turned around with a fake smile, and went back to sit down behind her desk. She needed it between her and the offender to stop her from doing something stupid- or to throw it at him, she hadn't really decided yet…

"What can I do for you, Haruno-san?" she asked with false interest, while inwardly seething with rage.

"It's about Sakura," the man replied.

"Oh," Tsunade prompted, and for a moment she held the hope that he would turn himself in, but that hope was crushed when he next opened his mouth.

"She's disappearing time and again. She did so two years ago as well, but it stopped after a few month, so I didn't do anything about it. However, it's been happening again. My suspicion is that she's seeing someone-"

'_Yeah, Hatake, to get injuries treated and some comfort, because she's too kind to you to come to me, you sick bastard,'_ Tsunade thought, already dismissing this converation.

"- someone, that she shouldn't be seeing."

'_That would be you, ass!'_

"What do you mean?" the Hokage asked politely.

"I think, she's having a taboo relationship with her teacher," he finally said.

_'Only, if you think, taking care of an abused child is a taboo, jerk!'_

"I beg your pardon?" Tsunade faked shock.

"Not by her own volition, I'm sure," Haruno quickly added. "I think, he's abusing my daughter. I'd like you to investigate. She's been coming home with one too many injuries lately."

"I can hardly believe that… but of course I'll make sure to check on it. If that will be all?"

"Yes. Thank you very much, Hokage-sama, " the man said, and bowed, then left the office.

Yamato and Sai reappeared.

"You did well, Tsunade-hime. You didn't even threaten him," Sai complimented her with a fake smile. The Hokage just growled, and the boy shrunk into a corner.

"He's very clever, don't you think?" Yamato spoke up. "If we wouldn't know about him, and would check up on Sakura-chan, once she gets back from her mission- on which she'd been with only Kakashi- it will seem as if sempai were the bad guy here… Unless, you want to believe Kakashi-sempai lied to us?!"

"No. He may not show it much, but he adores his students like they were his own children, he wouldn't do that. Kakashi may be a pervert, but he's not a pedophile. With Haruno, I'm not so sure. After divorcing Sakura's mother, he'd been married with a girl half his age, after all. He's playing with us, the bastard! Grr!"

"What do we do now?"

"We wait for Sakura's and Kakashi's return, and then I'll take matters into my own hands," Tsunade replied, smirking sardistically. "You may go."

**333333**

_(Two days later / Suna)_

It was much later that night, when Kakashi woke up again to the feeling of cold. He opened his eyes groggily and noticed that his pink-haired firend- cough obsession couch- wasn't anywhere to be found. Sitting up on the bed, he took a better look at his surrounding, and found her by the window, looking out into the sky. The moon's silver light illuminated her pale skin, and let her jade eyes sparkle with mystery, and some secret knoledge.

She was practically glowing.

The young woman looked so etheral that it had Kakashi unable to form coherent thoughts. She looked like an angel, descended from heaved, that had lost her wings somewhere along the travel, yet was still searching a way home, because earth was so depressing. A rush of protectiveness overcame him. He didn't want her to fell that way; depressed. He wanted her to be happy, carefree, and smiling all the time.

Preferably, at him.

Removing the sheets, Kakashi stood, and walked over to where Sakura was standing, wrapping his arms around her in a gentle hug from behind. Apparently, she'd been so deep in thought, she hadn't noticed him, and was startled by his muscular body pressing against her back. The medic immediately blushed, as she had been thinking about him that very moment, about why he was affecting her this much. Why he was making her weak in her knees, and unable to think, or even form porper sentences in his vicinity. Why a rush of adrenalin flooded her system everytime he touched her, why she felt heat spread throughout her whole existence, and why she wanted nothing more than to give in to that heat.

"You should smile more," her ex-sensei told her in a low voice, proving that this was affecting him as well.

'_This is so wrong,'_ Sakura thought.

**_'But you want_** **_it,' Inner Sakura argued._**

'_That doesn't make it right!'_ the girl bit back.

_**'Killing isn't right either, yet you never care when it comes to your enemy, ' Inner Sakura countered.**_

_'…'_

'_**Well?'**_

"You're right," Sakura replied to her Inner, but said it out loud, which had Kakashi chuckle. He seemed to take it as her answer to his encouragement about the smiling.

"I know," he answered back, cockily.

"Hmpf!" the pink-haired girl made, scrunching her nose while looking up at him.

Next thing she knew, his masked lips were on hers in a gentle kiss.

He hadn't been able to help it. She looked so cute with that semi-frown on her beautiful face. It was like he was being drawn to her by some unknown power, and he couldn't stop it. She was his angel, trapping his poor, mortal spirit in her web without even trying. He couldn't help but kiss her lips, because he was sure, it would be the only time he could. As soon as she would come out of her shock, she would punch him through the wall for good measure, accusing him of being the biggest pervert just after her father. Therefore, Kakashi let his lips linger in order to remember every little detail when she would not even look at him anymore, let alone talk to him, or hug him.

After overcoming her shock, Sakura…

**End of chapter 5!**

**A/N: Well, what should I have Sakura doing, my dear readers? Give me your suggestions, and I'll take the one I like best, or maybe mix a few, thereby creating a new one. In any case, you've the power to influence me now with your wishes- but only if you review! ;)**


	6. Closeness

**_Kiss Me Goodnight_**

**KakaSaku**

**A/N: PLEASE READ (I know it's long, but please read it all): Okay, here the next chapter. I was astonished at how many people reviewed. Most were of pretty much the same opinion, with slight differences. I mixed the scenarios together a little, and this came out. I hope you like it.  
There is not much 'action' in this chapter as it focuses on the thoughts and feelings of Kakashi and Sakura. How they are still unsure of what this new development means for them, how they feel, or think they should feel about it.**

**'Yare Yare' is the eqivalent of sighing in japanese (though I'll admit I'm not 100 percent sure whether it is written with 'Y' or 'J', but I think/hope 'Y' is right)**

**Oh yeah, at the beginning of chapter 1, Sakura is 15, and now two years later she's 17, which is still three years away from legal age. In Japan you become of legal age at 20, not 18 like in most western countries. I'm sorry, I didn't make this clearer before. 'bows deeply'**

**Chapter 6: Closeness**

After overcoming her shock, Sakura…

…drew away with a gasp, her cheeks flushing a deep shade of red as one hand came up to touch her lips in her incredulous stupor. Slowly caressing over the soft flesh, she thought that they didn't feel so different than before. Just…molded somehow, yielding but in a good way, and moist. Though nothing had really changed, she didn't feel the same she did a minute ago. She felt light with contentment, and warm like there was a gentle glow in her heart that spread heat throughout her body and soul.

'_Is this what a kiss is supposed to feel like?'_ she asked herself, then suddenly it dawned on her:

Kakashi had **kissed** her!

Scratch that.

**Kakashi** had kissed **her**!

'_Why would he do that?'_ Sakura questioned without expecting an answer. Of course her Inner Self would never let an opportunity pass to wise-crack.

_**'Isn't that kind of obvious?!? Why do people kiss other people, hm?' her fiesty side's voice rang in her head.**_

'_But he wouldn't. He couldn't. That's wrong, and… just not him. I'm his student, he knew me since I was a little girl. He would never even consider seeing me like that,' _Sakura argued.

_**'Like you would never consider him?' her Inner replied ironically.**_

_'I…'_

But she couldn't finish that sentence, because she hadn't the slightest cue as to what she could say. Instead, she reconsidered what just happened. Kakashi had kissed her, on the lips. Was it even a real kiss? He had kissed her through his mask, but still… It had been so soft, and caring, so full of… something she couldn't quite place. And there was closeness, the same closeness they had been developing through all this time, but it seemed to have taken on a new meaning.

Was it…love?

She couldn't tell. Not with him. But why would he kiss her, if he didn't feel something for her? Was it pity that guided his body? No, she wouldn't believe that. Didn't want to. There had to be something, right? He never did anything that didn't have a meaning. He was Kakashi. She looked up to see the regret in his eyes, and the fear. What was he so frightened of?

Was he afraid of losing her?

'_Baka,'_ Sakura thought, refraining to roll her eyes at him.

When Sakura pulled back away from him, Kakashi's heart fell a little. Sure, he had expected her to react the way she did, what with him being her former teacher, her team leader, and it all being so wrong, but her rejection still bothered him. Then again, it was his own fault. He had acted out of instinct, emotion clouding his judgement. He had overstepped his boundaries by miles and miles, and now he would pay the price for his stupidity.

Surely she would hit him with one of her killer-right-hooks any second now.

The Copy Nin sighed. He deserved it, there was no arguing with that. He had approached her pretty much the same way her father did. Maybe not with the same brutality or perverse inclination, but he hadn't payed attention to her wishes all the same. She surely didn't want to kiss him, or have him kissing her. Why would she? He was her (former) sensei, a man fourteen years her senior. He read the Icha Icha series in broad daylight while walking around the streets, he was socially awkward, and very much so thank you, he constantly covered the lower half of his face, and he had pretty much ignored her in her youth.

So why would she want him?

Why she even seeked his company at all was beyond him, though he appreciated it very much.

'_Better apologize now,'_ Kakashi thought, _'Later, my jaw will be in no condition to let me do so.'_

Looking at her thoughtful figure, he wondered what was taking her so long. The punch was easy to carry out as he was standing right there, not moving. She looked cute, he noticed, and the urge to kiss her lips again was overwhelming, but he resisted. She hadn't taken well to his first kiss, and he really didn't want to give her any more reason to hate him than he did already.

"I'm sorry, Sakura, really. I shouldn-" the silver-haired man started, but was cut off by his pink-haired friend' shy smile, before giving an equally shy peck to the corner of his mouth which rose a rather impressive blush on her young features. The jade-eyed medic averted her eyes, embarrassed, and ashamed. Maybe she had interpreted too much into this kiss. Maybe he didn't feel anything for her, and just wanted to show her what it was like to feel loved, because he thought she derserved it?

Pressing her lips together, as if to stop the last bit of her courage to leave her through her mouth, she hesitantly looked up at him from under her thick eyelashes, and saw that his eyes (he didn't wear his headband in bed) were crinkling. She could even make out a few of the small lines in the stretchy material of his mask that indicated he was smiling at her. A friendly chuckle soon followed.

Right before he leaned down again to catch her in another kiss.

It was very much the same as before: His cloth-covered lips gently molding against hers, conveying his care and assuring that he didn't have any bad intentions, or ulterior motives. That he really just wanted to enjoy this soft brushing of lips against lips, and that he wanted her to enjoy it with him. Sakura's breath hitched when a little shock ran through her body as soon as they touched. This time she had expected it, had expected it because she had known what he was going to do. She hadn't drawn away, had leaned into him instead, though not responding to the kiss as of yet. Now that it wasn't completely taken over by surprise, her mind started comparing his patient kiss with the way her father touched her. Demanded from her. She felt disgust rising within her as the memories attacked her mind, but it was quickly washed away when Kakashi pressed his lips just slightly harder on hers.

Apparently, he had sensed her distress.

As if she was running on auto-pliot, she leaned in to him further, shyly reciprocating his lazy ministrations. She could feel him humming in response more than hear it. The deep sound vibrated through her body, banishing even the last dark thought from her very existence, and filling her with that heart-warming glow again. He had his hands on her waist now, making sure she couldn't run away, yet Sakura knew that he would let her go if she really wanted to escape him.

He was nothing like her father!

Kakashi couldn't believe his luck when he slowly, reluctantly let go of her lips. She hadn't kicked him, after all, hadn't cursed his name, or that she ever met him. Hadn't called him a pervert, or a pedophile, or lectured him about his low moral standards- though he was sure that they would have this discussion eventually! Instead of doing any, or all those things, Sakura slipped her arms around his neck, and practically bore her nose into the crook of his neck, giving him the possibility to put his chin atop her head, and smell the intoxicating fragrance of her shampoo with each breath. He could smell her tears as well, but wasn't concerned as he had heard her laugh of abandon when the first wet droplet fell from her eyes.

They were happy tears.

He looked down at her when he felt her letting her arms fall down his front, and grip his shird, and her body began to tremble. Confused at her sudden change of attitude, and more than a little concerned at her shaking in his arms, he started rubbing her back in an attempt to calm her down. His efforts were in vain, he realized soon after. The tremble wouldn't go away, no matter what he tried, but he wouldn't give up. If he couldn't do anything other than stay there with her, and be her shoulder to cry on, then he would.

"Please, stay with me," he could hear her sobbing plea. "I can't do this on my own. H-he's so p-pow-werful w-hen I-I'm alone. H-he'd m-make me ch-chan-nge m-my m-mind. I… I n-need y-you…to b-be the-there, pl-please… I-I need…"

"Ssh, "Kakashi soothingly whisperered into her ear, "everything will be okay. Don't you worry about a thing. He won't be able to hurt you ever again! I promise."

"I can't d-do th-this on my o-own."

"You won't need to, Sakura," the silver-maned male answered, rocking her gently in his arms.

"S-st-stay with-th m-me, ple-please."

"Till the end," her former teacher vowed.

"No," Sakura spit out, shaking her head in his chest, grasping onto his shirt in a vice-like grip. "N-no, I mean…st-stay **with me**…Please, don't e-ever…l-leav-ve me a-alone, Kakashi-sensei."

"On one condition," said man chuckled, lifting her up, and carrying her to the bed. "Actually, two."

"…"

"Firstly, we'll get some sleep now. We have a long travel infront of us, tommorow," he told her.

"A-nd the second?" Sakura asked, rather hesitantly. She wasn't sure, if she liked where this was going. She knew his reputation well. She had trained, and worked under him, and knew that he was not reading that porn just to annoy everyone but because he was really into it. Not to mention all those things she had heard from the women in the bath house- especially the kunoichi (especially Anko).

Kakashi chuckled, knowing exactly what kind of worst-case-scenarios her mind was coming up with, and unable to help feeling a little hurt at her lack of trust in him. Then again, that was hist fault, too. He had gathered a lot of experience in that particular field from his early years on until nowadays, and his young friends surely had heard of his numerous indiscretions, or adventures as he prefered to call them, in the bed room. A bed room like this one, with only him and a woman in it- just like right now. Only that this was a woman he cared for, deeply, and those other women were just one-night-stands. Admittedly, a very long list of one-night-stands…

'_Yare yare. Be all my sins remembered, he?!?'_ he thought with a dark chuckle in his mind.

"My my, Sakura-chan, I didn't know you had such a dirty mind," he teased, which earned him another full-body flush, though he could only see the cherry colour of her face. "I hadn't planned on taking it that far tonight, what with that unresolved matter at home, not to mention that we're both not sure about anything, are we?"- she shook her head'no'- "but if you want me to, I'll not complain-"

"Sensei," she hissed dangerously.

"Ah, there it is. That's my second condition: Stop calling me 'sensei'," he chided with a big smile on his masked face, his eyes crinkling at once.

"Oh…but… uhm, okay?" she asked, uncertain.

He nodded appreciatetively.

"Now, let's get some rest, shall we?!?" the Copy Nin more ordered than asked, but Sakura didn't care when he slipped in bed beside her. Making sure she was facing him, he wrapped an arm around her waist again, and pulled her flush against him. Her pink her fanned around her, her nose touching his chest, her arms insecurely sneaking around his middle, and her body snuggling closer until their chests touched…

'_It feels good. It feels right.'_ Kakashi realized, he had been fearing this as much as he had been hoping for it. Before, when he spooned her in the dark hours of the night he could tell himself that he did it for her sake, to give her security. But after tonight, after the kiss, he couldn't fake ignorance anymore. Couldn't make his touches to be something, they weren't- or rather, something less than they really were. He had feared his conscience would finally wake up to yell at him how terribly wrong, innapropriate, and utterly immoral this was. However, what was left of his conscience through years of service as a trained assasin- among other things- had yet to make an appereance, if it ever would.

"Night, Kakashi-sen…Kakashi," the pink-haired girl mubmled, still fighting down her blush, and snuggling closer still.

"Good night, Sakura," he replied, placing a gentle kiss to the corner of her mouth, and brushing his nose against hers for a moment. The young woman in his arms giggled at his antics. He smiled back at her, before settling down again, closing his eyes as he went. Cracking them open again once he could hear her steady breathing, his smile grew. She looked more like an angel than ever. Watching her sleep would definitely become one of his favorite pass-times.

After kissing her, and Icha Icha, mind you.

**333333**

The next morning, he woke to a soft, feminine giggle. Groggily opening his mis-matched eyes to have someone stare back with emerald green ones was a nice way of starting his daily routine. Sakura was still lying in his semi-embrace, apparently she had been unable to move, thanks to his protective death-grip. He was about to smile at her when he felt her finger trace his jawline.

Immediately, he panicked.

Sakura giggled again.

"No worries, Kakashi," she assured him in between a laughing fit. "I didn't remove your precious mask. I would never do that without your permission."

"You guys did try it an awful lot of times back when you were genin," he piped in.

"We were twelve, Kakashi, and your mask just happened to be our obsession, like Icha Icha is yours-" He grunted at that "- but do you really think, we would still be the same after five years? When was the last time we tried to get your mask off your face?"

"…"

"See. It's been so long you don't even remember, do you?" she asked in mock hurt. "Such little faith you have in me."

"…Hm."

"'Hm' isn't good enough. I expect, no, I demand a decent apology!" Sakura snarled at him.

Big fault!

"N-no, I didn't m-mean…"

"To late to take it back now, Sakura-chan!" Kakashi informed her as he rolled himself over her, and began kissing and nipping at her neck. His attentions were so gentle, it didn't even feel like he was actually kissing her. Instead, it tickled the poor woman. Whole simphonies of laughter wracked her helpless body, and threatened to break through her lips, but Sakura wouldn't give him that satisfaction. Holding a pillow over her mouth to stiffle her giggles, she slapped him lightly on the back. Kakashi immediately stopped, coming up to look her in the eye again, laughing at the silly picture she made with the fluffy pillow.

Sakura shot him a glare.

Wincing in mockery, he found himself being hit by said pillow in the next second. He thought about counter-attacking but decided against it. He was still to sleepy for an all out pillow war with his energetic, pink-haired companion. So instead, Kakashi let himself fall back onto the matress. Following his example, Sakura lay down, too, facing him. A smile was plastered on her face, a real one, and a few giggles still escaped her once in a while. Her viridian eyes sparkled at him with victory. He didn't know they were having a battle, but his 'defeat' didn't bother him much. At least she was smiling again.

Then, the door burst open to reveal a panicking Temari.

"Kakashi-san,Ican'tseemtofindSakura.Sheisnotinherroom,andI'velookedeverywhere." The words spilled out of the blonde woman's mouth so fast that the room's occupants had quite the problem to understand her. When Temari finally realized what she was looking at, she blushed lightly at first, then smirked. "Now I know, why I couldn't find her anywhere. This is interesting, and taboo. You better have a good explanation!"

Kakashi just rubbed the back of his head.

Sakura however, had a striking idea that might save them ,though.

"Temari-chan," she began, embarrassed, "it's not what it looks like, really. The fan in my room went out in the middle of the night- I don't know if it works now-, and though it's cooler than during the day, it **is** still pretty hot at night-" The other woman nodded at this, understanding "-so I asked Kakashi-sensei here, if I could stay in his room. He offered to sleep in my room, but I couldn't just let him do that sacrifice, now could I? It would've been just so unfair. So, I insisted that we both stay here. And that's all, Temari-chan."

The blonde nodded again, though seemingly still a little suspicious. Then she told them that breakfast would be served in the dining room in half an hour, and left. The moment she closed the door, both Sakura and Kakashi sighed heavily. This could've gone very wrong. Looking at each other, they knew that soon they'd have to talk about, what this would, or even could progress into.

But first, they needed to get back to Konoha, and solve an issue.

Kakashi smirked evilly.

He was ready to kick ass!

**End of the sixth chapter!**

**A/N: Ah, well. What do you think? Did Temari buy it? Or maybe I should ask, should she?… This seems to become more of an interactive story with every chapter, doesn't it? I kinda like that. If you have ideas or wishes for the future chapters, feel free to tell me. I promise I'll consider everything.**

**I'm not sure, if I got all the emotions right, but I hope I gave a decent picture of them.**


	7. Jealousy is a passion

**_Kiss Me Goodnight_ **

**KakaSaku**

**A/N: There, another chapter done. The title is actually part of a german saying that- in german- is kind of a wisdom wrapped into a pun.**

**Chapter 7: Jealousy is a passion...**

The Kazekage had sent them off personally from the village gates that very morning. Temari had stood beside him, scrutinizing their behavior towards each other, but her expression didn't look like she had found anything out of the normal. Kankuro was there, too, raising an eyebrow at his sister's attitude. After exchanging a glance with his younger brother, he just shrugged, and made a mental note to ask her later. Kakashi waited a few feet away as Sakura gave a last wave of parting for their friends, then turned to move away from the Hidden Village. It was still early in the morning, the sun not even completely above the horizon, seeing as neither of them wanted to travel through the desert during the hottest hours, and with some luck, they'd be out of the sandy enviroment by midday. They travelled fast, and in silence.

Sakura was still too embarrassed about this morning to say anything without causing a major blush to appear on her face.

And Kakashi was only too happy to just read his book.

Hours passed, before either of them spoke a word. They hadn't made a break, but now the sun was burning down on them, though not as bad as if it were already noon. Still, Kakashi heavily contemplated to change direction, and move towards a group of rocks no to far away from their position, and wait there until night came over the desert. It was unspeakably hot, and he could see how it was affecting his young friend. She was covered in sweat, and panting, her chest only rising with difficulty. She needed a break, and the Copy Nin couldn't deny that he himself felt quite exhausted.

He signaled her to change direction and move west.

Sakura nodded, gratefully. Kakashi knew that this heat wasn't normal, even for a desert. Plus, the air was dry as parchment, which made everything twice as bad. They moved swiftly towards the shadow-giving rocks, but then the silver-haired man stopped dead in his tracks.

"Wait," he whispered, just loud enough for Sakura to hear.

The pink-haired medic halted immediately, and then she noticed it as well. There was something dark on the sand near the rocks. A pile of ashes. Actually, more than one. Here and there, the two jounin could make out the remnants of what had been a camp not to long ago. The people that had been here, seemed to have left in quite a hurry, too. Kakashi sniffed the air, but there was no scent beside sweat and camels. If this were a caravan there would have been oils, spices or other goods as well.

And then it hit him.

'_The bandits Tsunade told me about,'_ Kakashi thought, before motioning for Sakura to back away, but it was too late. Not a second after he waved with his hand to get her away from the rocks, they were surrounded by almost two dozen of those low-lifes. The Copy Nin inwardly cursed. They weren't in any condition to fight right now, but he guessed, for a bunch of thugs it would be enough.

"Look, look, look. What do we have here?" One of the men, apparently the leader of the pack, stepped forward.

Both jounin kept their expression schooled.

"Two Leaf Shinobi," the man continued, "and so very far away from home."

"If you know that we are shinobi, than you know that we don't bring any money with us. We have nothing worth robbing," Sakura snapped at the man, her arms crossed over her chest.

"Is that so?"

"She's right. What little money we have with us, is not worth fighting over. Especially with the losses you'd make," Kakashi stated calmly.

"Oh, I'm sure we'll find an arrangement." A wicked smile formed on the brute's face.

Kakashi's eyes narrowed dangerously. The man's gaze was fixed on his pink-haired ex-student, and he really didn't like the implication of the bandit's words. His man snickered at the kunoichi, who stood uncomfortable in the middle of their attention. Still, Sakura radiated anger off her, biting her lower lip forcefully enough to draw blood. Her closed eyes twitched in irritation, her hands were balled up to fists at her side. She was already taking out her gloves.

"If you have nothing to steal with you, we'll just take the woman." The leader turned to Kakashi again.

"You touch her, you die," the silver-haired male answered as cooly as he could, while fury made it's way through his system, along with a rush of protectiveness towards the medic, and, for some reason, possesiveness... How dare they even think about his cherry blossom like that?

"Why so irritated?" the leader asked innocently. "Oh, I see. She's your woman, hm? And you don't want to share? Can't blame you, she's quite the looker-" Kakashi's eye began twitching now, too "- I wouldn't push her off my bed, either. But the ability to share is a virtue, shinobi, and it's not like we'll take forever. Just a few rounds each, and we'll give the little whore back to you- consider it a mission. Kunoichi do such mission, no? And besides, she seem to quite like the idea of being taken by so many man… Look-" He indicated to her sweat-gilstening body "-she's already wet, she-"

The thug never finished that sentence, because Kakashi had had enough. Surprised, the bandits found their leader face first in the sand, and a kunai in his back. The jounin elite ran a hand through his silver mane, before turning towards the other low-lifes, and giving them a glare that would've made hell freeze over. Some of them immediately let go of their weapons, and ran for their dear lifes. Those, who did stay, were automatically taken on by Kakashi, kunai and shuriken flying through the air.

Sakura stood there, astonished for a moment, before she too turned her attention to the bandits. After all, Kakashi couldn't fight all of them at once. Sliding the gloves over her hands, she turned on her heel, and punched the rock closest to her. It split, and the upper part came crashing down on the nearing men, as the pink-haired medic jumped out of the way. Landing right beside the next two thugs, she simutanously smashed the first's visage with her fist, and kicked the other one hard into his groin, before punching his jaw from below, and sending him flying. Taking a quick glance to the side, she noticed that her sensei was still fending off the numerous opponents coming at. She decided that he was probably taking so long, because he had taken out his book again. Smirking at his antics, she returned her attention to the thieves coming at her, when she suddenly felt a presence behind her. She was about to punch him, when not a moment later he had his hand up her shirt, and was massaging her breast roughly. Gasping in shock, she froze, and began to tremble once he latched onto her neck, slobbering all over her neck and shoulder. Sakura wanted nothing more, but to turn around, and rip the offender's unmentionables from him, but she couldn't move. Couldn't even think. It all felt to much like…

It was coming back to her then. The images, she'd fended off night after night with Kakashi's arm around her petite form, his breath on her neck, his masked lips ever so lightly brushing against her skin, his defined chest warming her back. And at day, she'd glanced over to him every now and then, imagening how he would hold her during the night, whenever the memories became to vivid. Now, however, there was nothing to protect her from the wave of nausea that overcame her as all the images flooded her mind, her eyes glazing over, her blood running cold, and her finger sweaty. And suddenly, she was back at home, not in the desert. And it was her father that was standing behind her, squeezing her bosom, as he tore at her shirt to expose her skin, licking, nipping, biting every inch of it as it was revealed to him. It was her father grinding his groin against her butt, and her father's hand that left her breast to travel south.

When a third hand placed itself upon her, though, Sakura snapped out of it, and kicked, and screamed until the men let her go, falling to the ground, holding their broken limbs. Panting, Sakura stood above them, watching them in their agony. For another moment, she saw her father lying in their place, an eye-crinkling Kakashi crouched over him in victory, and all her friends smirking down at the man.

And finally, she became sure that she'd made the right decision.

Suddenly, gloved hands shot out beneath the man, grabbing their calves, and yanking them down until only their heads were above the sand. Walking up to her, Kakashi stood beside her, oblivious to her little daydream, flipping a page in his beloved dirty comapnion. He put it away, taking her arms into a gentle grasp, and led her away- just as the rain started to pour down on them. Sakura looked up, shocked. Then trembled as the cool drops hit her heated skin. Why was it raining? They were in the desert, so why was it raining? As if reading her thoughts, Kakashi opened his mouth to explain.

"Once every year, the desert comes to life after a heavy rainfall. In a day or so, the sand will be covered with grass, and flowers. It will look like a giant meadow, but only for a short time, then everything will go back to normal. Without this mechanism, though, there could be no life in the desert," he explained, and Sakura nodded, still astonished. "Let's go! The rain lures out the more dangerous animals of the desert as well."

"What about us?!?" some of the trapped low-lifes yelled.

"What about you?" Kakashi shot back lazily.

"You can't leave us here like that!"

"Of course we can," the Copy Nin replied. "You shouldn't have messed with us, and you shouldn't have talked about Sakura like that."

"We didn't mean it!" they tried.

"You meant every word, you bastards!" Sakura shouted back at them angrily. She almost said more, she almost told about the accident with the man's hand that was up her sihrt, but held her tongue in the last moment. Kakashi's grip on her was already tighter than before the men started talking, she didn't really want to know what would happen, if he were to know about the little scene that had transpired only minutes before.

"Let's go, Sakura!" he repeated between clenched teeth. "We have a long travel infront of us."

"Hai, Kakashi."

And with Kakashi's hand still wrapped around her wrist, they took off.

**333333**

_(One day later)_

They stopped only when it became too dark to travel anymore, like now as the sun had already completely sunk beneath the horizon. Kakashi had sent his hounds to go look for a place to camp, and they had guided them to what Sakura considered 'the best camping place, ever'. She had squealed like a little girl, when Pakkun had showed her that one of the tunnels at the back of the cave led to a natural, secluded hot spring. Kakashi had laughed at her antics, then smiled down at his brown-furred pug. The dog shrugged his shoulders, and scratched his ear, before returning to the other hounds to guard the entrance. Kakashi, too, had left her alone, so she could bath in peace.

Disregarding her clothing, once she was sure, Kakashi really had gone away (you never knew with that hentai), she slowly waded into the deliciously warm water, until she was in up to her neck. Closing her eyes, she relaxed, leaning against a rock. The knots in her back were slowly massaged away by the liquid heat, and the young woman stretched lazily. Snatching her sponge from the shore, she started to rub off the dirt, and sand of their travel through the Wind Country.

At long last, she massaged a bit off vanilla-scented shampoo into her scalp, let the sponge absorb some water, and squeezed it out over her head. She repeated the process, until she was satisfied with the result, and decently cleaned. At least, if you looked at her. Sakura herself thought that she was quite dirty, but it wasn't any kind of dirt that you could just wash away. No, it wasn't that easy.

'_I'm so weak,'_ she thought pathetically.

The pink-haired blossom was disgusted with herself. Again, she had let a man take adventage of her. Again, she had been to freaking frightened to stand up for herself. In the end, she'd found what little courage she had left, but it shouldn't even have gone so far. She had let her weakness take her over, had let her emotions getting the better of her. She had allowed the memories of her father to rule her, and had been frozen in place.

'_I'm so pathetic,'_ she sighed.

**_'Yes, a little bit,' her Inner agreed._**

'_Geet, thanks. Aren't you supposed to cheer me up?'_

**_'Why, of course. If you'd let me finish,' Inner Sakura 'hmpfed' at her Outer Self. 'You are a little bit pathetic, yes, but not, because you were frozen in place. That's just human. After all that happened… What is, or rather was pathetic, was that it took you so long to decide that you need to do something about your father! Hmpf!'_**

'_I know…'_ Sakura replied, _'…but I thought that maybe, maybe he woul-'_

"Aah!" she screeched, instead of finishing what she had to say, when she felt something being laid around her neck. Sakura shot up, and out of the water, making whatever it was that laid around her neck, fall into the water with a panicked noise. Looking down, she saw a tiny black kitten desperately trying to get out of the water, and back onto the stone. An adorable little "Oh"-sound escaped the pink-haired girl, as she took the poor, dripping animal into her arms, and set it on the rock. Patting it's head, the young medic turned around to grab her towel, so she could dry the poor thing off, but noticed something that made her stop in midmotion.

At the entrance of the tunnel was standing a very shocked Hatake Kakashi, his eyes glued onto his former student. He had, obviously, bolted towards the hot springs when he heard her yelp, expecting her to be in some kind of trouble. What he hadn't expected- though it seemed kind of stupid now not to- was to get a good look on a very much naked Sakura with a little cat in her arms, before she set the now purring animal back down, softly caressing it. When she made a grab for her towel, Kakashi knew that he was in trouble. She would kill him, if she found him standing there, ogling her.

Still, his feet did not move.

'_Ah, shit!'_ he cursed inwardly.

When she halted her movement, and looked at him with a frantic expression, he knew his day had come. He would be send to his creators, his ancestor would be very much ashamed of how his life was ended, and he was sent to join them. They would probably refuse to have them with them, even in hell- because Kakashi was sure, this sight was as close to heaven as he would ever get!

'_Might as well help,'_ he decided, walking over to his ex-student.

When she saw Kakashi reaching for her towel, her arm dropped back to her side, and her body- still showing some of the bruises her father inflicted on her- heated up with a royal blush. She averted her eyes from his exposed one, looking at his shirt-covered chest instead. Apparently, he had already prepared himself to lie down for the night. Instead, now he waded into the water himself, enveloping her with her own fluffy towel, lifting her, and carrying her to the shore, where he gently started to dry her off. **Without** revealing her body again, mind you.

His eye crinkled as he saw her blush deepen, and his smile widened when he noticed that she didn't do anything stop him. Carefully rubbing the towel over her moist skin, he suddenly looked onto a lovebite. A disgusted grunt left him, as he thought of her father, but then he realized that the mark was too fresh to be almost a week old. It was still deeply crimson, while all the other proofs of her father's 'attentions' were faded away, becoming paler with every day. The Copy Nin's eyes narrowed. Sakura seemed to notice, too, because her hand came up to cover the marred skin.

"I can expl-" she started off, but interrupted herself when she saw his hand flying to his mask, and rip it off. She wasn't granted sight of his face, however, as she found her hand being taken away, and his lips immediately over the still sensitive skin, giving it some rough ministrations, as if he was trying to prove a point. Her former sensei backed her up against the natural wall behind her, as moan escaping her lips when she felt the cold stone on her back, and his heated body against her front. Her legs automatically wrapped around his waist to accommodate him. He bit down onto her skin a littler harder than necessary, drawing blood, and licking it away with his tongue in the next second. It was all too much for her, too raw, too hard. She started to cry. Her hands fisted in his shirt, and she was trying to push him away gently, because she still knew, it was him, Kakashi, not **him**. "Please… no…please don't…"

Hearing her desperate tone, Kakashi immediately backed up a bit. Releasing her soft skin from inbetween his lips, he bore his head into the crook of her neck, realizing what he had done. He really was becoming more like her father. He shuddered, and whispered a meek apology. His own tears were threatening to fall, for what he had done to her. He slipped his mask back over his face, and was about to move away. At this, her hands left his front to embrace him, press him to her shivering frame that was covered by nothing than a towel and his own body.

"I'm sorry," he murmured into her skin.

"It's o-okay," she tried to reassure him, when nothing was okay, really.

"Are you afraid of me, now?" he asked, fearing the answer. Hoping, praying to all the gods he knew that the answer would be a decisive 'no'.

"Of course not, silly!" She laughed at him, and it sounded sincere. "Though, you did scare me there, for a second."

"I'm sorry," he repeated, lowering his head in shame.

"It's okay." She sounded more convinced now. "At least now I know."

"Hmm?" What did she know?

"That the great Copy Nin can be jealous," she said, giggling.

He chuckled against her neck, the sound vibrating through her form. She shivered.

"Kakashi?"

"Hmm?"

"Can you… uhm get me my clothes? It's kind of cold."

"Sure," the silver-haired man replied, before stepping out of their tight hug, and snatching some fresh clothes from her backpack. When he turned back to her, and gave her the clothes, she handed him the black kitten that had still been waiting on the very same rock- too lazy, or maybe too cold to move. Confused, he took the little animal, and listened to her instructing him to dry it off, give it some food, and make sure his hounds stayed away from the poor thing.

"The little cutie had enough unwanted action for one day," she exclaimed, before shooing him away, so she could dress. Walking into the tunnel again, hefound Pakkun sitting at the entrace, smirking at him as if Christmas and Eastern had fallen on the same day. Huffing a little, he put the furball into his pocket, and went to follow his 'orders'…

**End of chapter!**

**A/N: What do you think? Good? Bad? Decent? Do tell! ;)**

**In the next chapter, Kakashi and Sakura will return to Konoha to find a surprisingly irritated Hokage- not to mention that they still have to get rid of Sakura's father.**


	8. Home, Sweet Home?

**_Kiss Me Goodnight_**

**KakaSaku**

**Chapter 8: Home, Sweet Home?**

They had taken on a hasty pace, and mostly kept their silence. Well, Kakashi had, anyway, which was mostly due to the fact that his favorite pink-haired medic was to infatuated with Chihiro to acknowledge him. Even now, half a mile from home, she was still talking to the damn cat, patting it's head, and raking her fingernails softly down it's back to notice how they where getting closer to something, she'd tried to avoid even thinking about.

And the damn thing was purring contently!

It wasn't as if Kakashi was jealous. Please. Kakashi? Jealous? Of a cat? Never. He just didn't like to share Sakura's affections. It wasn't strange to wish that you were the one such a beautiful woman was caressing. It wasn't a shame to desire that she was raking her hands over **his** back, while she lay underneath him, writhing in pleasure. There was nothing wrong in wanting to be in the centre of the delicate flower's attention. That was all, there was to it.

No jealousy involved.

Right?

'_Right.'_ Even in his mind it sounded false.

"Oh, you look so cute when you yawn, Chihiro, you know?"

Kakashi's eye twitched.

"Or when you playfully claw at my finger like a little baby…"

Kakashi's hand twitched.

"Don't you think so, too, Kakashi?"

Kakashi just wanted to drown that insufferable little pest that was worming it's way into his Sakura's heart. Wondering where the next well was, he turned to the young woman in question, forcing a smile onto his face.

"Why, of course, Sakura-chan."

"…Is something wrong, Kakashi?"

"No."

"You sure?"

"Yes. What would make you think otherwise?"

"You've been holding Icha Icha upside down ever since we moved out this morning."

"…"

"…Kakashi?"

"Yare, yare," he exclaimed, tiredly. Stopping on the nearest branch, he waited for her to reach him. Putting Chihiro around her shoulder, where she'd found the little thing the first time, she hopped over to him. The silver-haired man stared darkly at the cat for a few seconds, which didn't go unnoticed by Sakura. Suddenly understanding, a smirk began to form on her face. She pointed an accusing finger at him, and giggled. Coming out of his murderous thoughts, the Copy Nin raised an eyebrow at her. Stepping closer, until she was right infront of him, she poked his chest right above his heart, her smirk widening.

"You're jealous, Kakashi, aren't you?"

"No," he replied, yet sent another set of glares towards the black kitten. The animal just yawned at him, obviously feeling safe on Sakura's shoulder. Kakashi emitted a low growl from his throat.

"Yes, you are," the pink-haired girl teased, trailing her finger over his jaw. It tightened under her touch.

"Am not," her companion replied, though he knew it was absolutely ridiculous. This wasn't like him. He was behaving like a puberscent teenager, just because his only female student- former student- said, he was being jealous. She was wrong, of course. He couldn't be jealous- well, not of a cat anyway. He was Hatake Kakashi, the Copy Nin, the Sharingan Warrior, and Master of over Onethousand Jutsu. He always kept his emotions in check! He couldn't be jealous, yet…

"Yes, you are," Sakura retorted playfully, before enclosing him in a tight hug.

"Am not," he shot back in a voice too soft to agree with the statement. And when he closed his arms around her to pull her closer, both knew that she had him.

Sakura sighed in his arms.

"Let's go. The gate isn't far away, and there a probably patrols around here. Tsunade probably knows already that we're back, and is expecting us. We don't want to make her wait, do we?" he asked, but didn't let go of her. Instead, he just loosened his embrace enough for him to look at her. Making sure that none of the aforementioned patrols were anywhere near them, he lowered his head just slightly enough to touch his lips to hers in what would've been a wonderful kiss, if the **damn** cat hadn't jumped him claws first, scratching his scalp enough to draw blood. "Ow! You little-"

The pink-haired medic started to laugh at him, but snatch the kitten from his vice-like grip when he was about to tsukonomit the cursed beast into next week. Raising a finger at him, she made a 'no, no' movement, before starting back towards the Konoha gates again, leaving a very pissed off Copy Nin to catch up with her. With another low growl, the girl could still here from her position several jumps away already, he did so. When his silver mane came into view, so did the Village Gates. The two jounin landed on the ground without making any noise, but they had already been expected, apparently. That was the only explanation, why they found a bowing Izumo waiting for them in-between the gates.

"Kakashi-sempai, Sakura-sensei, welcome back. Please follow me. Hokage-sama is waiting for you," the Chunin greeted them.

Giving her former sensei a puzzled look for a moment, she nodded at his shrug, and motioned for the guard to lead the way. Izumo led them in quick jumps through the city, as if there was no time to waste. Sakura frowned at this. Why would her shishou be in such a rush to see them? It was just a mission to deliver a scroll to Suna. What made the all-mighty Godaime Hokage so anxious about their return. She glanced at Kakashi, but he seemed to have fallen into his own train of thoughts, so Sakura would just have to wait, and find out.

Thinking along similar lines, though he knew the reason, Kakashi grew annoyed. Tsunade was a great medic, a powerful kunoichi, and could give most people- cough man cough- a run for their money…

'_But subtlety apparently doesn't belong to her strenghts.'_ Kakashi sighed inwardly.

When the door was opened, they found the Fifth at her desk, almost drowning in the masses of paperwork that were surrounding her. However, when she noticed the pair that had come in (Izumo had thought it wise to get the hell out of there), she immediately put away the pencil, she'd been holding to scrutinize them. Glaring at Kakashi for reasons, he could only imagine, she motioned for them to come closer, and away from the door. It turned out to be a good idea, since it burst open the next moment. Sakura sucked in a breath. Waltzing inside like he owned the place was her father, followed closely by Yamato and Sai.

"You called on me, Hokage-sama?" the rough voice of Haruno Masashiro filled the room.

"Ah, yes, I have," the blonde replied with a business-like tone. "The jounin Hatake Kakashi and Haruno Sakura have just gotten back from their mission to Suna, and I thought, we might want to settle this matter now."

Sakura sucked in another breath.

'_She knows,'_ the young medic though, panicking. _'But how?'_

_**'Guess,' her Inner replied casually, loooking over her shoulder at…**_

'_Kakashi?'_

_**'Who else?!?' Inner Sakura answered, as if it was the most natural thing in the world.**_

'_But he…promised…'_

_**'… to respect the decision, you would make within the end of this week. He never said anything about not doing something before, if the opportunity arises,' her Inner corrected her thoughts.**_

'_But he said, he didn't tell Tsunade-shishou…'_

**_'Probably has something to do with why Yamato and Sai are here. Just listen, I'm sure, they'll tell you…He did the right thing, if you asked me, though.' Inner Sakura's tone was so very decisive that Outer Sakura couldn't do anything but nod dumbly._**

"So, you're back," she heard her father's voice, once she broke out of her reverie. Instinctively, she inched closer to Kakashi. He seemed to notice, because he made a step forwards, so that her father would have to get past him if he wanted her. Sighing gratefully, she nodded at the older man in the room. "Well, in that case… I demand that you arrest this man, Hokage-sama."

Kakashi raised an eyebrow as he found Sakura's father pointing at him.

"Under what charge?" he asked calmly.

"Statutory rape." It was Tsunade that answered. "Haruno-san came to me five days ago, and informed me that he noticed strange injuries on his daughter. He wanted me to investigate on a possible abuse by you, Hatake. At first, I didn't want to believe it, but after receiving this scroll from Suna yesterday… Here it says that you were found-"

"You bedded my daughter, you sick bastard!" Mamashiro yelled at him. The man couldn't contain the victorious grin forming on his face. He thought, he had won.

"NO!" the pink-haired girl screamed back, stepping closer, and gripping Kakashi's sleeve. "He didn't do anything! He was just trying to help me! Please-" Here, she turned to the honey-eyed Hokage. "- you have to believe me. Kakashi-sensei didn't do anthing wrong. He didn't… It was me. I asked him to sleep with him… I mean, in the same bed as him. I… didn't want to be…alone… I was afraid… Please, shishou, Kakashi-sensei was only trying to protect… m-me… f-fro-m h-him…"

Her voice grew quiet at the end, as if she didn't hold the strength to speak anymore, but the finger raised to point at her father was indication enough. The pink-haired girl his her face behind her former sensei's back. She didn't want anyone to see her tears. After her outburst, it was dead-silent for a moment.

"You trained her well, Kakashi-sensei," her father spat at the masked man. "Now, she's accusing me for what you did to her, you pedophile."

Kakashi just continued looking at him for a moment, and everyone else in the room was amazed at his self-control. Every shinobi, that is. The two ANBU, the Hokage, and even Sakura, who was still silently crying behind the silver-haired elite, could almost grasp the killing intent their comrade and fried radiated off, yet nothing in Kakashi's posture was giving away his intentions. Plus, though being gravely insulted, he didn't jump the insufferable man yet. Most other ninja would've already slaughtered the merchant for his insolence. Instead, the Copy Nin calmly turned to his boss to speak.

"If you were informed that the Kazekage's sister found Sakura and me in my bed, you'll also have been informed that we were both fully clothed," Kakashi lazily murmured. "If you check on Sakura's physical condition, you'll easily find out, who hurt her. You're not the best medic in all of Fire for nothing, after all, Tsunade-sama."

"Flattery won't get you anywhere, Hatake," the Fifth replied, but a grin took the harshness from her words. "Well then, Sakura. Come with me, so I can give you a check up. Meanwhile, Yamato and Sai will make sure that none of you leave the room." The two ANBU gave a short "Hai!" as Sakura left the office with her shishou, not quite sure, if she would see her father again- but not caring either way.

**333333**

Healing up the last of Sakura's bruises, Tsunade finished her treatment by writing a few notes onto the pink-haired girl's medical chart, she'd snatched earlier. Turning around, she saw that Sakura had still made no move to dress herself back into a decent state. Tsunade gave her apprentice a pained look. She just wanted to take the poor girl into her arms, but there was one more thing she needed to ask, before she could give in to her wishes.

"Those bitemarks were fresh," the Godaime said. There, it was out. She hadn't asked directly, but Sakura knew that silence was not an option. Of course, Tsunade had noticed those lovebites, they were quite visible after all. It concerned her a little. Those marks couldn't be older than a day or two, so her father couldn't be the one that inflicted them on her beloved apprentice. From the moment, she'd seen them, she'd worried if maybe both men up there in her office were culprits of the same crime.

'But why would she defend Kakashi, when she accused her father?' Tsunade wondered for a moment, while the younger medic tried to get an answer out. 'Could it be… No, Sakura wouldn't… No, he isn't… He reads Icha Icha, you stupid thing! Sakura would never fall for a pervert!… Then again, she had fallen for a power-hungry avenger…'

"I…" Sakura tried, but couldn't utter another word. She knew, she should've healed those marks. She knew, it would make Tsunade suspiscious. She knew, it would cause problems. But she just hadn't been able to! It were Kakashi's lovebites, goddammit! Sure, one of the bandits had put them there in the first place, but Kakashi had over-

**_'The bandits!' her Inner screeched at her._**

_'What about them?'_

_**'How come you're so dense, while I'm so smart?'**_

_'Hey!… Ugh! Anyway, can we discuss that later. What about the bandits?!?'_

_**'Tell her about the bandits, and leave out Kakashi. It wouldn't even be a lie,' her Inner suggested.**_

Inwardly sighing in relief that she finally had a decent explanation- or so she hoped- she raised her eyes to her shishou, and replied.

"We encountered a bunch of bandits on our way back. They attacked us, and… I….he…hand up my shirt…slobbering all over…neck," were the only things Tsunade could understand, the rest seemed to be swallowed by her shock about what had happened. Sakura made wild gesture with her hands as if that would explain everything, and ended with a meak "I'm sorry, shishou,", pressing her lips together again. Not whooly believing it, the Hokage decided to investigate that last bit of unrevealed truth later.

Trembling with fury, Tsunade first inquired, if she was alright before asking what happened to the bandits. She looked very pleased when her young apprentice told her what Kakashi had decided should happen to them. That he left them to die in the killer-sun of the desert. A moment later, Sakura found herself in her shishou's arms, and pulled into a tight hug. The honey-eyed woman patted her back, reprimanding her for not coming to talk to her right away, and comforting her over what happened. The pink-haired girl found that to be very awkward: She had never seen her shishou cry, but the blonde woman was definitely shedding tears. Sakura could feel them on her from the medical exam still naked form. Returning the embrace, and patting Tsunade's back as well, the young medic comforted Konoha's leader more than she was comforted herself, but it didn't matter.

_'It's the thought that matters,'_ she thought, smiling as she dressed herself, and then followed her shishou back into her office. The four people in there didn't seem to have moved an inch, since she last saw them, so Sakura re-took her position behind Kakashi, who was still eyeing her father in a rather icy manner.

"Yamato, Sai, arrest this… I hesitate to say 'man' but you know what I mean," the Hokage ordered her two ANBU, pointing at Sakura's father, who was being dragged away a second later. He didn't resist much, probably guessing that both elites were only looking for a reason to kill him, and getting away with it. When they were out the door, the Godaime turned to the remaining shinobi in her office. "As for you, Hatake, you're a free man, so to say. And though, I appreciate you helping my apprentice, it can't go on like this,"- Here she turned to Sakura- " you can't continue to sneak into your sensei's bed, Sakura. That has to end."

"…Yes, shishou," the young woman replied without conviction.

"Very well, you may go home. Not you, Hatake, I still have something to discuss with you."

"Yes, Hokage-sama," Kakashi said calmly. He turned to his former student when he felt her tugging on his sleeve. Glancing at the honey-eyed woman, the girl gave him a short, but strong hug before walking out the door. Looking back up at Tsunade, he saw her eyeing him even more suspisciously than before the whole mission started. His hand went up to scratch the back of his head in a nervous gesture.

"I don't know how far I can trust you, Hatake-"

"I'm hurt," he interrupted, a hand over his heart. Tsunade 'hmpfed'.

"-but Sakura came to you for help, and comfort, not me. She seemed to believe, you were the one she could entrust most with this matter-"

"She surely didn't mean any disrespect towards you, Tsunade-sama," the Copy Nin interrupted again. "She trusts you just as much as me, if not more."

"Yet, she asked you for help-"

"It was more like me, giving it to her- with or without her consent. It was a coincidence, really. I found her on the street, and on the training grounds the first two times. I found out by accident, youcould say. That's why she came to me afterwards. I wouldn't know, if I hadn't found her. She didn't tell me until a week ago- not in words, at least."

"Is that so? Well, in that case, I have a mission for you. You're to-"

"I was hoping for a break-"

"Well, it's cancelled."

"Really, Tsunade-sama, I'd like to take care of Sakura-"

"Than I don't see, why you're arguing with me?!?" the Hokage huffed. "Your new mission is to look after my apprentice until she's recovered- or at least stable, since some victims never recover from something so terrible…"

"Sakura will be okay again, Tsunade." He emphasised his statement by leaving out the honorary suffix, she noticed.

"I hope you're right. In any case, you are to look after her. In order for you to do so, you need to be close all the times. Pack what you need, Hatake. You'll move in with her, today."

**333333**

First thing, she'd done after getting home, was taking a relaxing bath. She seemed to do that quite often in the last few days. True to their hot-spring-experience, Chihiro, who had hid in the medics pocket for all the father-sensei-affair, lay around her neck- close enough to the water to feel it's warmth, but far enough away not to get wet. Unless Sakura jumped up again in fright. Once she'd felt the tension of the day's events leave her body until nothing was left, Sakura dried off with one of her pinkest, fluffy-est towels, and wrapped it around her body before walking into her bedroom to dress.

What she had not expected to find, was one former teacher of hers to sit on her bed getting yet another good look at her curves…

**End of chapter 8!**

**A/N: Oh, yes. Another possibility to ogle for Kakashi. Maybe even something more(not too much, though). What do you think? Should Kakashi stand up and kiss her, hoping the kitten doesn't attack him again?  
Izumo calls Sakura "Sakura-sensei" , because sensei is also the suffix for a doctor.**


	9. Care

**_Kiss Me Goodnight_**

**KakaSaku**

**A/N: There, another chapter for you. I hope you have as much fun reading it as I had writing it, and thank you for the inspiration. This chapter is focusing a little more on the emotional side, so I'm not revealing what will happen to Sakura's father just yet.**

**I'm sorry for any spelling and / or comma mistakes. The only fact to my defence: I'm german. ;P  
****Again, I'm sorry. I'll do my very best to keep it at a minimum. (insert solemn voice)**

**Chapter 9: Care**

What she had **not** expected to find, was one former teacher of hers to sit on her bed getting yet another good look at her curves…

Silence ensued for a few minutes. Neither moved. Not even an inch. Apparently, Kakashi had the decency to look at her face. At this, Sakura felt her cheeks flushing. Was she disappointed that he was behaving like a good boy? No, that couldn't be. She would punch him through the wall, if he took advantage of the situation by letting his eyes roam. She was clad in nothing but a towel, for gods' sake!

'_Then again, he has already seen me in less,'_ Sakura mused, remembering the accident at the hot spring.

Her blush became more prominent.

Looking back up at her former sensei, she noticed that he wasn't looking her in the eye. He was not even looking at her face, but her… neck?!? His only revealed eye was hooded, as it stared at her throat, at a point just above her cleavage. Frowning, the medic wondered what he was thinking about. Was he too embarrassed with the whole situation- he caught her barely clad for the third time- or was there something else? He read porn in public, so he couldn't really be embarrassed, could he?

'_Maybe he's… shy?' _Sakura wondered.

'_**Maybe he isn't looking at you?!?' her Inner suggested.**_

But what was Kakashi looking at, then?

The answer came in a soft purr, and a tiny pawn playing with the loose strands of her hair. It hit her like lightening! Chihiro was still resting around her neck. The small, black kitten had felt so naturally against her skin, and Kakashi on her bed was so unexpected that she'd compelety forgotten about her new friend. By the look in Kakashi's onyx eye, though, he hadn't forgotten his last encounter with the little animal at all, nor would he anytime soon. A smile formed on Sakura's face remembering the scene. The silver-haired man had been about to kiss her, but her purring companion had attacked him with the wilderness of a lion. Sakura surpressed a giggle when she took the cat, and saw his eye follow her movement as she placed the furball on her bed. Walking up, she halted infront of him.

"What are you doing here?" she asked with an amused tone.

"I'm moving in," he replied smoothly.

"Wh-what?" Sakura screeched, but when she continued, her voice was hushed. "Don't you think it's a little… early for that?"

"No," Kakashi said.

"But… you can't! Tsunade is going to kill you! You-"

"It's her orders."

"Wha- wha- what?"

"She wants me to stay with you, until you're…over it, so to speak. I readily agreed," he explained, and at seeing her frown, he added another bit. "I wanted to this, anyway. Tsunade just gave me a reason to get away with it. Otherwise, I would've had to make sure, no one saw me, when I came over, and that would be a little troublesome."

"Oh."

"…"

"…"

"Sakura?"

"Yeah?"

"Could you take a look at my head. I'm sure that little beast cut through my bones," Kakashi grunted. Sakura laughed, but complied anyway, motioning for him to lower his head a little, so she could get a better look.

"Oh, you poor baby. Come here, mommy will kiss it better," she mocked him.

Kakashi growled. He thought up a few retorts, but decided not to say anything. At least, he had her laughing again. She hadn't laughed since they had put a foot into the village. Admittedly, that wasn't a very long time, but it still concerned him. She had, after all, laughed at him when that little 'hellcat' had tried to kill him. He heard her chuckle a few more times while she checked him for any injuries, and it pleased him greatly that he could make her smile and giggle- even if it was at his expense. When he felt her hands move through his unruly hair, his breath hitched. It wasn't a gentle touch by any means, and not passionate one either. Rather, she was trying to shove his silver mane out of the way, so she could look at his scalp. Yet, it had a strange effect on him. Just her hands on his body were making him feel dizzy, lightheaded. Not in a sexual way, but just… different. It made him feel cared for. The only sounds were her frustrated huffs when his hair apparently withstood all her attempts to move it.

"Well, I don't see anything." Her voice was irritated.

"But my head is throbbing like hell," he tried to argue, just to have her close to him some more.

"You must be imagening things. If there ever was any wound, it's gone now. Your regenerative abilities are almost as good as Naruto's when it comes to scratches, it seems. That really starts to scare me." She laughed at him playfully.

"Too bad," Kakashi sighed. "I was thoroughly enjoying myself."

"Eh?"

Dropping her gaze, she noticed where his head was. As if to emphasis his words, he leaned a little bit in to her, so that his forehead was pressed against her cleavage. For a moment, Sakura wondered when he had taken off his headband, but decided not to care when she felt his hands on her towel-covered hips. Okay, so this was just a little bit awkward. He was holding her close, his grip loose, yet strong- the how was a mystery to the young kunoichi. She just enjoyed the touch. His hands were warm, and his breath tickled her skin. Why hadn't she noticed his breath before. She could feel his pointy mob scrathing her chin, and his nose that was barely touching her skin as he breathed her in like some exotic flower. Her hands automatically sneaked around his head, not caring about the inappropriateness of it all, only caring about that soft glow that came back into her heart like that time they kissed.

Kakashi was thinking along completely different, and yet strangely similar lines. He knew Tsunade was suspiscious of him. He was sure she would send someone to watch every betraying move he would make. For this, he knew that he should keep his distance from Sakura. That he should make her initiate every touch, simply because it normally wasn't appropriate at all for a teacher to touch his student when not training. But the situation wasn't normal in the least. Not only did Sakura need some physical contact- hugs and such things- to feel safe, comforted, and not to mention to adapt to sharing such contact again, but he needed that contact, too. While the pink-haired beauty might think, he'd been helping her all these times without ever gaining anything from it, it was far from the truth. In her arms, Kakashi felt calm as if the weight of his past was lifted from him, the pain dulled by her soft voice. While he'd helped her to get any sleep at all, her presence had made his dreams… friendly- or he hadn't dreamed at all! Either way, for Kakashi it was a great improvement.

Reluctantly, he let go of her.

"Tsunade helaed them." It was a statement, and his voice sounded rather disappointed.

Blushing some more, Sakura knew immediately what he was alluding to.

"Uhm, yeah."

"What did you tell her?"

"The truth. That one of the bandits got a little too friendly." She tried to laugh it off, but as his grip tightened on her, she knew it wasn't working. He could see through her mask without even having to look at her straight.

Kakashi sighed.

"You should get dressed. You wouldn't want to give Sai and Yamato something to look at, would you?"

"Huh?"

He chuckled.

"Subtlety really isn't Tsunade's forte. Neither is strategy, it seems."

With that, he left the room, going back into the living room. Plopping himself down onto the couch, he waited for her to get decent, and catch up with him. Closing his eyes, he concentrated on his sense of smell. The two ANBU were almost infront of Sakura's bedroom window. This time, they had made sure to not only run against the wind, but also to cover their scent with loads of jasemine soap. Kakashi would've laughed, if that hadn't given him away. His kohai, and the young Root agent were obviously trying to pass as civlian women or something, and they were miserably failing. The Copy Nin could smell their scent past all the fragrance easily, but decided to fake that he hadn't noticed them. He would make sure, his behaviour was impeccable- or at least assure they wouldn't notice if it was otherwise- and maybe after a few days of observation, Tsunade would just give up.

**333333**

The two shinobi shared a quiet meal, Sakura had made for them. Kakashi looked characteristically bored, and was reading his perverted book while eating so fast, Sakura didn't understand, how he didn't choke once. Shaking her head at him, she continued with her own plate, only to find it empty as well. Turning to the side, she saw that Chihiro was still happily eating the Cat food, Sakura had sent Kakashi to get. (The Copy Nin had grumbled, but obeyed when she threatened that she would make him go to bed hungry.) With the little kitten not being able to be the cuplrit, the young medic snapped her gaze- now glare- up at the only other suspect. The silver-haired man didn't even pay attention to her. Instead, he just flipped a page in his book, giggling wickedly. A vene popped out on Sakura's forehead, the chopsticks in her hand broke.

"I wanted to eat that," she ground out.

"Really?" he asked, unimpressed by her display of anger. "I thought, you didn't want it anymore, since you weren't eating anything for over ten minutes, and figured it would be a shame to let them go to waste."

"I… I was… thinking…" She felt the heat come back to her cheeks and neck, which turned red in mere seconds.

"About me?" Kakashi asked in a whiper, knowing that Yamato and Sai wouldn't be able to hear it, or read it from his lips due to the mask.

"Uhm…" was all Sakura could get out, but the intensifying blush said it all.

"Ah, about the hotsprings?" he continued to murmur.

"N-no."

"You sure? Because I really couldn't blame you at all. I always have this effect on the female populat-"

"Arrogant much?" Sakura mocked.

"No, just confident."

"Hmpf!" Sakura huffed. "If you must know, I was thinking what good it would do to all those mothers with their poor, innocent children out there, if your food suffocated you, hentai!"

"Ow, don't say such mean things, Sakura. That hurts my feelings," Kakashi whined, playfully. When he heard the cat meowl in agreement with her mistress, however, all playfulness vanished, leaving only the well-known desire to **suffocate** the little demon.

Sakura snorted, oblivious to her former teacher's murderous thoughts.

Shaking her head again, the pink-haired medic yawned as she stood up to do the dishes. Being the gentlemen he was, Kakashi brought his plate into the kitchen, and grabbed a towel to dry off what Sakura washed. Noticing this, the young woman shot him a grateful glance as she went about her work, making sure her hand brushed his once in a while when handing him the washed dishes. A little smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, once he felt this. He was thankful for the additional contact that was both: Initiated by Sakura, and 'necessary', so that Tsunade couldn't complain about it. When they were done, Sakura showed her sensei the guestroom, helping him unpack and settle. After that was done, the two of them said goodnight. His former student gave Kakashi a short hug before disappearing out of the room, seeming somewhat reluctant to leave him. The Sharingan-user smiled. He knew that she wasn't looking forward to sleeping alone for the first time since her last straw had been pulled. Smiling some more under his mask, he slowly closed the curtains as he changed into his sleeping clothes- which consisted only of loose pajama pants, really. But, for Sakura's sake- and his- he pulled a shirt over his head, and settled down.

Sakura streched one last time before climbing into bed. She was wearing a pair of red pants that finished at her mid-thigh, and a white tank-top with maybe a little more cleavage than she would feel comfortable with if she were in public. Ino had given it to her to her fifteen's birthday, because Sakura had once told her that she liked her clothing 'simple', and Ino had thought that 'simple' she could have while still looking sexy… Letting her head fall onto the pillow, Sakura 'shooed' those thoughts away. Thinking about her best friend / greatest rival would only make her nightmares worse. She really didn't want to go to sleep like this: Alone! Her body was tense, already. She could feel the flood of memeories underneath the surface, just waiting to break through once she'd let her guard down. Even the small ball of warmth curled up against her stomach couldn't ease the feeling of anxiety- not to mention the panic welling up inside.

'_Come on, Sakura. You can do this. Tsunade is right, you can't keep sneaking in bed with Kakashi. You can't depend on him forever. You would be just a weight to him, and he doesn't deserve that. Come on, go to sleep, you can. You know you can,'_ she tried to tell herself as she was attempting to drift off. But the fear always pulled her back, just when she was about to leave into that other world, where nothing was wrong.

It wasn't long before she could feel her bed shift. She turned around to find the silhouette of a tall man with unruly hair that pointed into all directions kneeling down on the matress, then lowering himself until he was layed out behind her.

"What are you doing here?" Sakura hissed, concerned that the ANBU might notice, though the curtains were closed tightly.

"Couldn't sleep," he replied. "And neither could you, it seems. We're in the same boat."

"A boat called trouble if someone finds you here," she snapped.

"Do you want me to go?"

She didn't answer, shocked. Of course, she didn't want him to go! She wanted to be in his arms again, safe and protected by his subtle strength, and calm demeanor.

"Tell me to go, Sakura, I'll go." His voice was sincere.

"N-no," she choked out. "I-I want y-you t-to st-stay… with me. I-I need you, please."

Kakashi nodded, but his body seemed strained. He knew, she didn't mean that last statement in any sexual way, hell, she probably didn't even know that what she had said, could be interpreted in a completely different- and inappropriate way. Though knowing this, his perverted mind couldn't help but imagine all those other ways, she could need him. Slapping himself mentally for his lecherous thoughts, he inched closer to her, his left arm sneaking around her middle. Then suddenly retreated back. Growling, he looked at his hand, where a bloody scratch resided now. Looking down at the girl's stomach, he saw the covers moving, and a small black shadow creep out from under it. The cat's yellow eyes practically 'smirked' up at him.

"What is this **thing** doing in your bed?"

"The same thing as this** man** in my bed: Trying to comfort me," Sakura answered, grinning.

Kakashi rolled his eyes.

"That beast is evil," was all he said, his eyes not leaving the feline form anymore.

Sakura chuckled.

"Yes, it is," the Copy Nin said like a five-year-old that thought he could win every argument with just that phrase.

"Sure it is," Sakura whispered as she healed his hand, and guided it around her waist again with her hand over it. Chihiro didn't protest this time, apparently not wanting to hurt her mistress. Meanwhile, Kakashi was both, sulking and smiling contently. He was sulking, because Sakura didn't believe him when the cat was concerned. And he was happy, because she was snuggling close against him again. She had even turned around after a second to think, so that she was facing him while the bloodthirsty hellcat could only curl against her back.

Ha! Take that, furball!

"What about Yamato and Sai?"

"What about them?" Kakashi asked.

"Won't they notice your chakra in my room, even though the curtains are closed?"

"Nah, I made sure to adapt my chakra to yours."

"Huh?"

"Tomorrow. I'll explain tomorrow."

"Oh, okay," she chirped. "Uhm…Kakashi?"

"Yes, Sakura?" He smiled at her when her head came into view. Surely, she would snuggle back close in a moment?!?

"…Uhm…K-kiss me goodnight?" the little blossom asked, uncertain, another blush brightening her face.

Kakashi chuckled.

"Sure," he said, and pecked her on the forehead.

"That wasn't what I meant!"

"Hm?" The silver-haired man faked ignorance, though he knew very well, what she had meant. But it was just so much fun, denying her…

"Hmpf! Jerk!" Sakura snarled. She was about to turn around again, whwn she felt his masked lips lightly press against the corner of her mouth. They didn't linger, though, much to her disappointment. Instead, he backed away again, crinkling his eyes at her. Then he moved in again, to give her another tender kiss on the top of her head before telling her to get some sleep. Sighing, but deciding she would be happy with just that- for now- she laid back down, circling an arm of her own around his neck, and finally drifting off to the land of dreams.

"Goodnight, my little cherry blossom."

**End of chapter 9!**

**A/N: That's it for now. I hope, you enjoyed it! In the next chapter, I'll tell you what will happen to Sakura's father, so I'm waiting for devil's inspiration right now. I already have a few ideas, but maybe you want to be my devil?!? ;)**

**Feel free to suggest any punishments you'd like!**


	10. Devil's Game

**_Kiss Me Goodnight_**

**KakaSaku**

**Warnings: uhm…violence aka torture, rape (not explicit, though)**

**A/N: Well, you've all been very clear in what you wanted to happen to Sakura's father, so I've mixed and meshed everything a little, and this is what came out. I'm not exactly a violent person, but I gave my best- or worst- to make it as painful as possible. I hope you're satisfied.**

**Chapter 10: Devil's Game**

"Ahhh!"

The scream echoed through the dungeon, and became distorted as it was thrown back from the high walls. With every hit with the whip it seemed that the man was cutting his flesh from his bones. He could feel how the warm liquid of his blood flowed down his back, soaking the only article of clothing they had left him with- his boxers- and then further down his legs. He could see how it pooled around his feet, colouring the floor in a deep red, and making it slippery.

He had already given up on trying to stand.

Chancing a glance over his shoulder, he could see the sardistic gleam in his tormentor's onyx eye, though there was no other sign that indicated how much he enjoyed torturing him. Noticing his stare, the man with the whip locked gazes with him for just the briefest moment, before dedicating his full attention to his task again. Another hit, another scream, and snickering from the sides. There were so many people in this room, enjoying the 'show' like someone would their favorite TV series.

So many people, but it had to be him.

"Did I hurt you, Haruno-san?" the silver-haired man asked innocently.

More snickering.

Him. The Lady Hokage had appointed **him** to handle the whip. He, who got them into this mess in the first place! Hatake Kakashi. Why wasn't the Copy Nin standing here? He was the one that had commited the sin! He, Haruno Masashiro, had only honored his duties as a father, punishing the little slut that had slept with her sensei for who knows how long. He had taught her a lesson, his daughter. That was his duty as her father, after all. The little bitch had it coming! She deserved it!

Another hit, another scream. Chuckling.

And what did it mean that her hymen had still been intact when he'd taken her?!? Nothing. She was a medic, she had probably let it grow again. **Slut**. She probably found some perverse fun in having her virginity taken by that bastard of her sensei over and over again! **Whore**. He probably enjoyed it, too. **Hentai**. The two of them had been screwing each other for months, maybe years, he was sure of that.

Yet, the Lady Hokage blamed him, blamed him for doing his job!

Another hit, another scream. A smirk plastered on Tsunade's face.

"Scream a little louder for us, Haruno-san," he could hear Kakashi purr.

A fit of laughter vibrated through the room. Even the present ANBU couldn't stop deep chuckles leaving their throat. It all resounded from the walls of the little dungeon, and snuck into his ears, meshed together to one crazy sound. It became the last thing he could hear before fading into the sweet bliss of unconsciousness, still wondering how it had all gotten so far.

**33333333**

**(That morning)**

Sakura awoke, feeling warm and tingly. Something tickled her neck, and something other sent shivers down her spine when brushing her cheek. Cracking her eyes open, for a moment she saw only darkness, and panicked, thinking that she had gone blind. Then, she remembered the night before when Kakashi had taken her into his arms once again, her face pressed against the black material of his shirt. Looking up from under her thick eye-lashes, she found his mask-covered chin lying on her temple, his breath hitting her cheek in soft, even blows. He was still sleeping. Dropping her gaze a little, the young medic saw that her arms were still encircling his neck, while his were holding onto her hips ever so slightly. She blushed at how close they were. His body was pressed intimately against her's, and, though they were- again- fully clothd, it was still a very compromising position. Especially with one of his knees between her legs, and her breast pressed flush against his chest.

_'Still…Shouldn't this feel awkward?'_ she wondered silently.

_**'Yes, ma'am,' her Inner replied with a smug smirk on her face.**_

_'Then why…does it feel so…right?'_

_**'Forbidden Fruits just do.'**_

_'Forbidden Fruits, hm? Yeah, this really is forbidden. Shishou herself…But I don't want it to end,'_ Sakura mused.

_**'Then don't. Just enjoy it while it lasts.'**_

_'Hm, but-'_

However, Sakura never finished that thought because whatever had woken her up, was tickling her again. Jumping a little at the sudden feeling, she heard a screeched 'meow' behind her, claws scratching over her sheets, and the sound of a running cat. Realizing, what she had done, the pink-haired girl untangled herself from Kakashi, and sat up in bed. About to leave the warmth she was already missing, something tugged at her, and Sakura found herself back on the matress with her former sensei's heavy body half covering her, so she couldn't flee again. His cheek was brushing her's now, but the medic could only half-awknoledge the fact that her mysterious roommate wasn't wearing his mask, because one of his hands had come up to caress her neck.

"Forget the beast," he mumbled sleepily.

She chuckled.

"Still jealous, hm?" Sakura teased.

"…If I say yes, will you stay in bed with me?" Kakashi replied after pausing for a moment to think over his words carefully.

The medic's blush deepened.

"You're so cute when you blush," the Copy Nin whispered into her ear, his breath making her tremble with… with what?

"You can't even see my blush, Kakashi. You're hiding your face in the crook of my ne-ah!" She let out a breathy moan when the silver-haired man started plantin soft kisses on her neck. Strong anough to be felt, but gentle enough not to leave any visible marks. Then, she felt him grin against her.

"I can see the blush on your neck, Sakura," he breathed against her sensitive skin.

"Kakashi." Her own breath hitched. Her lungs refused to work properly with this man giving her all that attention. Normally, having his attention meant being his sparring partner or his enemy- or a smutty novel. But this was different. They weren't training, none of them had defected from the village, and his dirty little companion was nowhere in sight. Here, now, he was just paying attention to her, to make her feel good. To make her feel cared for, protected… and loved.

"Sakura…" he replied, and by the tone of his voice she knew it was something serious. "The Hokage wants us in her office at nine o'clock. It's about the sentence…"

He said no more, and it wasn't needed. Sakura tensed slightly. The thought of having to see her father again… She had hoped that would end, once he was arrested. But of course, Kakashi was right. The Hokage would have to hear her before deciding on the punishment. It was always done when a girl or woman was…

She shuddered.

Feeling her reaction, he rolled over, so that she was lying on top of him, and pulled her close to him. His arms wrapped around her waist, trying to reassure her. The girl trembled again, but this time it surely wasn't because of their closeness. Rubbing her back in what he hoped was a comforting manner, Kakashi tightened his embrace, and waited for her shivering to subside.

"You okay?"

"I… yes, I'm alright," she answered. Kakashi raised one slender eyebrow.

"That doesn't sound very convincing."

"I'm sorry… I'm alright, really… I just…I'm just…"

"…not alright at all."

"Hm."

"Hey, that's my line," the Copy Nin grumbled in mock anger.

Sakura giggled. There, that was all he wanted.

"How?" she suddenly asked.

"How what?"

"How can Yamato and Sai not notice you in here?" she explained. "You promised you'd explain."

"Oh, that! Well, I adapted my chakra to yours. That means, I molded it in such a way that it resembles yours. To Yamato and Sai it seems that there is only you in this room, because my chakra is like your own."

"But wouldn't there be two Sakuras then?"

Kakashi laughed.

"No… Look, you've lived here so long that your chakra has become part of the air in this house, part of the walls, the ceiling ect. In some places, there's more of your chakra than in others, because you spent more time there. In your bed for example…" He trailed off. Further explaining wouldn't be needed. Besides, he enjoyed that cute little blush on her face way too much to ruin it by saying something trivial.

"I see," was all, Sakura could get out.

"Good, because we need to start the day. It's already half-past ten."

"WHAT?!?" Sakura screamed.

Kakashi chuckled.

**333**

**(Later)**

Silence encompassed the whole office. Nobody said a word, not a sound left their throats as they sat infront of the Lady Hokage herself. The blonde woman was seated behind her desk, and had an auro of menace surround her. No doubts, she just wanted to pound the offending pervert that was sitting on the other side of the table into the next century. Behind the Haruno-male stood Yamato, Sai and Ibiki. Beside him sat Kakashi, who looked more calm than he really was. Just sitting beside the rapist made him feel the need to take a two-months-bath, but this way at least, Sakura wouldn't have to look at him straight. The Copy Nin glanced over at the pink-haired blossom. She sat so upright in her chair, it was probably hurting her in her back already. Her stiff, unmoving posture only broken by her hands that were fidgeting with the end of her shirt.

"Well, you all know why you've been summoned here, I guess?" the Hokage began the 'meeting' in a strained voice.

Everyone nodded, even Ibiki. Apparently, he had been informed about the situation, and was just as happy about it as everyone else, it seemed. He had grown very fond of Sakura, if only for the macabre reason that if it wasn't for her, half of his 'patients' wouldn't survive the first session and consequently become useless. Kakashi had also noticed the many auras infront of the office. Most of them he knew, some he didn't, but he was sure that they all belonged to ANBU operatives. Being one of the best medics in the village, Sakura had patched up and / or saved the lifes of quite a few of them. And as much as ANBU knew how to prevent their secrets from leaking outside, they were never good at hiding them from each other. If someone said something, the whole HQ was bound to know it word by word within the next day.

"Okay." The Hokage cleared her throat. "There can be no discussion about whether the defendant is guilty or not. The medical exam is more proof than I need. Now, the question is what is to happen with… him."

She made a disgusted gesture towards Sakura's father.

All eyes glared at him.

"It is customary to hear the victim's wishes," Tsunade continued as calmly as she could. "So, Sakura-" The girl vinced as the attention turned to her "- what is your wish?"

Her fidgeting stopped, but her gaze was still resting on her hands. She was clamping them together now. How come, she seemed to feel okay, almost alright when she was arround Kakashi alone, and always felt so disgusted with herself, so weak when her father was present?!? She was almost happy this morning when she had Kakashi nipping at her neck, and now she felt like curling up against the back of the chair, and hiding her face against her knees.

"I…I don't know… I…don't kill…in jail, I guess…" the girl uttered brokenly. Good gods, what was happening to her. In the presence of her bastard father, she couldn't even form understandable sentences anymore, it seemed. Had her mind never heard of the word 'coherent'?

"Is that all?" Tsunade inquired, not quite believing that it could be all she wanted.

One of Sakura's hands gripped the chair, her knuckles turning white. Why was this so damn difficult? Why couldn't she just say something already? Suddenly a warmth made itself known on her wrist. Kakashi's hand had anclosed it. His grip loose, yet strong, giving her the support she needed, and conveying that he'd rather hold her hand, but couldn't. Not with Tsunade in the room. Sakura gave him a grateful smile, before turning back to her shishou, who was still watching her expectantly.

She took a deep breath, before the words fell off her lips like a waterfall.

"I want you to make sure that he'll never have the chance of doing this to anyone again, shishou. And, I never want to see him again."

"That, I'll gladly do," the honey-eyed woman replied, understanding. Understanding that her apprentice had been vague on purpose. She didn't want to feel responsible for what happened to her own father, but she didn't want her shishou to feel guilty if she went against her words, following her more sardistic side. "You heard her, gentlemen. Ibiki, I trust you have a quiet room ready?… Good. Yamato, Sai, please escort Mr. Haruno to his new quarters, where he will stay for an undetermined amount of time."

"She deserved it!" Haruno Masashiro snarled, turning to his daughter as he was compelled to stand up. "You deserved it, and you know it! For screwing your teacher, you derserved every minute of it! Tell me, girl, was he a good fuck? Did he give it to yo-"

CRASH!

The door had opened too reveal two extrewmely pissed ANBU who Rasengan-ed and Chidori-ed the man at the same moment, Sakura took to deliver a good punch at her bastard father's stomach. The other Haruno flew straight through the several walls of the many offices on the top floor of the Hokage building, until he ended in a bloody mess against the mountain.

"HOW DARE YOU TALK ABOUT SAKURA-CHAN AND KAKASHI-SENSEI LIKE THAT?!? Mostly about Sakura-chan!" one angry voice yelled after him.

The other ANBU just 'hn-ed'.

"Urgh!" the Hokage growled at the loud voice. "First of all: BE QUIET! Now, Yamato, Sai, pick him up and get him healed. I want him conscious and healthy for the interrogation. Hatake, tell your team to accompany Sakura home, and help her with whatever she needs for the next few…days, probably. Sakura, you're on vacation for the time being. Dismissed."

"But baa-san, we want to beat'im up, too!" the first voice whined again, spikey blond hair sticking out from under his flak-jacket. "Right, teme?"

"Hn," the second replied.

"See, teme agrees."

"You already had your piece of him. Now, let the others have some fun. You need to learn how to share, Naruto," Kakashi responed. Normally, he wouldn't call an ANBU by his real name, but if someone hadn't figured out who those two were by now, they were dumber than said blonde. Shaking his head at the two teenager, he turned to his pink-haired cherry blossom, who was now averting her eyes, and trying not to look at her two long-time friends. Shame was all written over her face. He walked up to her, whispering in her ear.

"It's alright, Sakura. Everything is going to be fine. No one will think any less of you, and if they do, I'll make them regret to have ever been born." Turning towards his other two former students, he continued. "You heard the Hokage. Now follow your orders. And take good care of your teammate."

_End of Flashback_

**3333333**

Haruno Masashiro awoke with a start. Sitting up in panic, he frantically looked around. He was in his own bedroom, in his own house. The sun was shining through the curtains, and brids were singing on the tree in the garden. Everything was fine. They hadn't gotten to him. It was all a dream, a nightmare. The little bitch hadn't gone to the Copy Nin or the Hokage, and he would make sure it stayed that way…

He stood from his bed, and walked out of the room. He didn't bother to put on his normaly clothing, he wouldn't need it. Slowly walking to the opposite door, he opened it, and took a quick glance inside. It was still dark inside, the curtains were closed, and the figure on the bed was still sleeping peacefully. Perfect. Licking his lips when he felt a twitch in his groin, he closed in on his unsuspecting victim. Her soft feminine curves hidden only by the sheets. He kneeled down beside the head of her bed, gripping her bosom through the covers.

Ready to have his way with the little slut.

A groan could be heard from under the covers, feminine, but strangely deep. He lifted the white sheets, expecting pink hair and found purple one instead. A wicked grin crossed the woman's face, he now recognized as Mitarashi Anko. What was she doing here? In the bed of his daughter? Her smile grew wider as if she was reading his thoughts. Pulling back a little, she punched him square in the face. He was sent flying backwards, and into someone's arms, but he couldn't turn around. It was as if his head was stuck, his gaze able to look nowhere else but at Mitarashi's grin. She moved until she was standing before him, twirling a kunai in her right hand, while tugging down his pajama pants with the other. Realization dawned on him when she lowered the blade. His eyes were still locked upon her face, but the pain didn't go unnoticed, nor the warm feeling of his blood running in between his thighs. Smirking evily, the purple-haired woman took a few steps back.

That was, when Haruno Masashiro felt himself being pushed onto his knees, and then someone was behind him with another 'kunai'…

He screamed even before the pain invaded his system!

**End of chapter 10!**

**A/N: Uh, well. I didn't want to be too explicit, but I think it's understandable what happens next. As for the next chapter: Mmh, there will be some interaction between the old Team 7, and with some KakaSaku fluff probably.**

**If you have any special wishes, you only need to review to convey them to me. ;)**


	11. The Dynamics of Team 7

**_Kiss Me Goodnight_ **

**KakaSaku**

**A/N: Ah, another chapter done. Have fun!**

**Chapter 11: The Dynamics of Team 7**

Since her guestroom had been taken already, though Kakashi wasn't there at the moment, and the two boys didn't want to argue over the couch, they had decided to camp in her living room. The pink-haired girl almost laughed when her former teammates moved her table out of the way, and took out their sleeping bags to settle down for the night. With a genuine smile, Sakura rummaged through her closet before hurrying back into the living room, and placing her own sleeping bag inbetween her boys'. Naruto's mouth fell open while Sasuke just raised an eyebrow. Once they had gotten over the shock, they tried to argue with her, telling her that she didn't need to do this, and that she deserved to sleep on the soft matress of her bed, but ´the medic wouldn't have any of that.

Not that she didn't prefer her bed to the cold floor…

But, for once, she thought it only fair, seeing as she couldn't offer them a bed, and she hadn't been on missions or camping with the two of them in quite some time due to her excessive work at the hospital. There was one more reason she didn't mention, though. This would be her first night without Kakashi by her side since it all happened, and she really, really didn't want to sleep alone. She could've offered them to sleep in her bed with her, but she found that it was Kakashi's right to do so, and only his. She could feel herself flush a little when she thought it over, but was sure that her friends hadn't seen it. To hide any further colouring of her cheeks, she snuck into her bag to make herself comfortable. It wasn't long before she felt something warm slip in beside her. Looking down at her chest, she found the culprit already curled against her.

"Chihiro, I'm sorry, I completely forgot about you," the young woman murmured, scratching the kitten's head. The little animal gave a soft 'meow' before starting to purr loudly, the sound vibrating through Sakura's chest. Hearing the strange noises, Naruto and Sasuke came closer with a little difficulty, seeing as they, too, were already settled in their sleeping bags.

"Since when do you have a cat?" Sasuke asked, raising another eyebrow.

"Uhm… we met her on our way back from Suna. She was so cute, I couldn't possibly leave her out in the wilderness, and she kept following me anyway," Sakura responed, thinking about her former sensei's disgruntled face- or at least the little bit you could see of his face.

"She is really cute, Sakura-chan. Just like you," Naruto replied sheepishly, his cheeks turning slightly pink as he patted the little animal.

Sakura giggled, and whispered a thank you.

"So, you two joined ANBU, hm?" she asked, then.

"Hn."

"Uhm…yeah. Sorry we didn't tell you, Sakura-chan, but it's…uhm…you know…" Naruto tried to explain.

"Hai, hai, I know. Top secret." She smiled at the blonde.

"You could make it, too, Sakura." Sasuke cleared his throat.

The girl turned to him, stunned. That was the most similar thing to a compliment she'd ever heard from the stoic avenger. Her mouth agape, she stared at him. Sasuke grew a little uncomfortable under her gaze while Naruto just snickered. He had obviously succeeded at what Sasuke had failed to do: Making Sakura smile at him! However, the blonde's amusement ended soon enough, as the pink-haired medic started to giggle, then laugh a little. When she'd calmed down enough to talk, she did so with a huge grin on her face.

"Actually, I already did, " she told them, "-though not in any in-the-field kind of squad, but if you'll ever be in need of a emergency surgery, it's very likely that you'll get under my hands. I'm leading ANBU's medical facility- not to mention that I need to heal up all the gross stuff Ibiki-san does to his… 'patients'…"

A shudder went simultaneously through their bodies.

"Eww!" was all that left Naruto's lips.

"My point exactly." Sakura laughed at him. She felt good, at ease when she was with them. It was still miles away from the feeling Kakashi gave her, but it was nice anyway. She just wished Kakashi could be there with her, and Yamato, and Sai. The whole team together again- yeah, that would be nice. Pressing her lips together, she tried to 'shoo' away all the thoughts of what they were doing at the moment that invaded her mind. Thinking of them now wasn't a very good idea. It made her think of her father, and she wanted to close that chapter of her life once and for all.

Starting by living in her own apartment, again. She'd had it since a year before her mother died. As a kunoichi, she often came back home late, and more times than not covered in blood or other bodily juices- be it from enemies on missions or a surgery she had to do- and she just hadn't wanted to be forced to see her like that. Instead, she would've visited her the day after, once she had taken a shower or a bath, and changed into clean clothes. Her mother had been fine with this arrangement, but when she died, and her father came back… everything changed. He had ordered her back into her family's house, and, being underage, she hadn't been in the position to refuse. Then, he had started to take over her life, piece by piece. He had even forbidden her to meet with her teammates outside of training, and beaten her quite thoroughly when he found out that she disobeyed. Not that that had stopped her! The only thing he hadn't tried to take control of, was her choice of job, and even that just because it allowed him to make better deals with the other merchants- especially those she'd healed once. But of course, he would make her feel what he thought about her job whenever people weren't looking…

"Why didn't you tell us, Sakura-chan?" Naruto suddenly asked. "We would've taught him a- ow!"

"Dobe."

Apparently, Sasuke had slapped him over the back of his head. Of course, he'd like to know as well. Why hadn't she told them? Well, he could understand, why she hadn't told Naruto. The boy would've probably gone to her father, screaming and yelling, and within the hour, the whole village would've known. But why hadn't she told him? Why hadn't she seeked comfort with him? She knew that he was there for her, didn't she? Why only Kakashi? And why hadn't the Copy Nin said anything to them, either?

"Teme!" the blonde growled. "What was that for?!"

"For being a dobe," Sasuke answered, silently inclining his head toward Sakura. Lying behind her, she couldn't see the movement, but it was essential that the Kyuubi –container grasped the facts. The girl had averted her eyes, now watching Chihiro intently. The yellow eyes of the little kitten gazed up at her, and seemed to be taking away the pain. Her eyes were brimmed with tears she refused to cry. She wouldn't cry, she couldn't cry. She was a kunoichi of the leaf, dammit!

She shouldn't cry!

"I…I'm sorry," she answered brokenly, her voice nothing more than a hushed whisper. "I… didn't want to burden… I… wanted you to be…proud…of me… I didn't want to… be weak…"

'_Oh god!'_ Sasuke thought, eyes snapping closed, and heart clenching- thinking of the day that he left her on the bridge. _'This is my fault, this is completely my fault.'_

"But Sakura-chan, we'd never think of you as weak, never! Right, teme?"

"Hn."

"See?"

"Seems like I was pretty stupid, hm?" Sakura sniffed, giggling a little, but Sasuke knew it was faked. She wasn't at all reassured. Obviously, he had done a pretty good job at destroying her confidence that day. If he would've been anyone else, he knew, he would be going to bang his head against some wall, now. This was his fault. He had made her untrusting of her friends' love and care. No wonder, she hadn't come to him for help. That still left a couple of questions unanswered, though.

"But you told Kakashi-sensei…" Naruto reminded her with a pout.

Sakura put on her best Sai-like smile.

"I didn't. He just… sort of found me. I hadn't planned on telling anyone."

"Well, then it's good that he found you," Sasuke said matter-of-factly. "Now, how about some sleep-." When Naruto was about to interrupt, the bluish-haired boy sent him his coldest glare, and the Kyuubi-container winced "-we have a long week infront of us."

"Goodnight," Sakura took the cue without hesitation.

**3333333**

He awoke in the middle of the night due to some strange noises. His shinobi instincts kicked in, and he was immediately wide awake. It was pitch-black in her living room, he couldn't see anything for a few seconds. Once his eyes adapted to the darkness, he looked around for the source of the noises. At first, he thought that Naruto was dreaming about his beloved Ramen again, and talking in his sleep. Soon enough, he noticed that the blonde was peacefully asleep on the other side of their third teammate. Chancing a glance at the young woman, he saw that it was her who made the strange noises. She was whimpering in her sleep, and trashing around slightly. How Naruto could sleep at the moment was beyond him, but it didn't matter, anyway.

"Sakura?"

More whimpering.

"Sakura, it's only a nightmare."

She whined.

"Sakura, wake up," Sasuke told her, gently touching her shoulder.

She flinched, trying to get away from him.

'_Damn.'_

"Sakura, it's me. Wake up," he said again, turning her around as gently as he could. She tensed under his touch, went stiff as a board, even. Once she was turned to face him, he did something very un-sasuke-like: He embraced her. He wasn't one for physical contact. He really tried to avoid it as much as he could, but he needed her to calm down, and maybe a hug would make her feel safe?

The change was instantaneous.

She relaxed against him, and snuggled closer. Sighing in relief, he decided that hugging her wasn't so bad, and if she needed it, he would gladly do it anytime. The girl burried her nose into his chest, and inhaled unconsciously. He could feel her breath a sigh against his front, and shivered slightly.

"…kashi…"

His ears perked up.

'_Did she just?!?…' _He thought it over for endless minutes. Could it be? Did he just hear what could be part of their sensei's name? Was she so used to snuggling into him that she forgot in her dream that Kakashi wasn't even there? Could he just have heard, what he heard? Really? _'…Nah!'_

Shaking his head, he decided that he should get some more sleep if this nonsense came to his mind.

**333333**

Three days later found the old Team 7 in their routine. Sakura would be the first to wake up because she was used to standing up when it was still dark to work at the hospital. She would take a relaxing bath, in order for Chihiro to came keep her company- the little kitten didn't like showers for obvious reasons! Then she would sneak into the kitchen, and make breakfast for all of them. By this time, Sasuke would be awake as well, laying the table. Once that was done, he would go take a shower himself. When he would come out of her bathroom, he would find Naruto sitting at the kitchen table, chopsticks in hand, drooling, and eagerly awaiting the moment, Sakura would be done cooking. The Uchiha would shake his head slightly, or roll his eyes at the sight, but would sit down beside 'the dobe' nonetheless. After breakfast, they'd go grocery shopping if needed- which was every day seeing the amounts of food Naruto could stuff himself with- splitting the bill. Then, they'd train for a few hours on Team 7's old training grounds. Being the Copy Nin's former students, this training consisted of one of them defending a bell from the other two. Whoever didn't get the bell, had to pay for their lunch at Ichikaru's.

Which was, where they were now, Naruto eating his fifth bowl for the day.

"This is just gross," Sakura said tonelessly as she watched Naruto eat. "I had hoped, the ranks (she means ANBU but can't say so, obviously) would teach him some manners. How does your captain put up with this?"

"He turns his head the other side," Sasuke dead-panned.

The medic laughed.

"Sounds like something Kakashi-sensei would do, though to hide his face," she replied casually. She had made it a habit to add his title whenever she was in public, which consisted of every moment she wasn't alone with him… "They've been gone for three days already."

"Hn," came from her blue-haired teammate. She interpreted it as: Hopefully, they'll hurt him for another three years!

Instead of pondering it, Sakura returned her attention to her bowl. Only to find it gone. Her chopsticks breaking inbetween her fingers again, she slowly turned to her blonde friends, a dangerous gleam in her eyes that promised death. Naruto, oblivious to her killing intent, because still occupied with chewing on his meal, glanced over at his pink-haired comrade with a frightened look in his blue eyes, once she'd grabbed him by his collar. Holding him in place with one hand, she swung to strike.

"That.Was.My.Bowl.Naruto," she growled at him.

"Wh-what a-are you tal-talking a-about-t Sakura-chan?" he asked, panicking. "I didn't do anything, I swear!"

"And where did my Ramen go, then?"

"How should I know?!?, the blonde whined, preparing for impact. "I was eating."

"I'm not buying it, Naruto!"

"But I swear!"

"Naruto!" Sakura ground out.

"Teme, help me!"

Sasuke shook his head. He may have been the last Uchiha, and one of the most powerful shinobi in the Hidden Village of the Leaf, but that didn't change one fact: He was man enough to admit that he was not man enough to deal with a pissed off Haruno Sakura (1)!

"Teme!" Naruto pleaded as he saw Sakura's fist approaching his face. He closed his eyes, waiting for the pain, but it never came. Opening his eyes, he found the pink-haired kunoichi's fist enveloped in a bigger hand. A hand that was wearing black gloves with metallic plates on it. He breathed a sigh of relief. "Kakashi-sensei!"

"Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura asked.

"Now, now, Sakura-chan," he scolded the younger woman. "It isn't nice to hit your own teammates, unless during training. Especially, when they didn't do what you are accusing them off."

"See, even Kakashi-sensei believes me!" Naruto still looked like a rabbit infront of a fox, and was very thankful for the wolf that was protecting him.

"But-oh, fine!" Sakura replied, pouting.

Kakashi smiled, his eyes crinkled. Still, he did not let go of her hand, instead gently rubbing his thumb against it in a way so that no one would notice. Sakura flushed a little, but made sure to look disgruntled enough, so it would be attributed to anger. Kakashi's smile seemed to grow, especially when he settled his other hand infront of him, for her to see. And sure enough, in his left hand, she found her missing bowl of Ramen- empty! Not faking anger anymore, she growled lowly at him, her fist clenching back together, and oh so ready to punch him. Noticing this, the Copy Nin tightened his grip on her hand, and, putting the bowl down, tugged her other hand free from Naruto's orange suit, only to enclose it with his as well. This way, she wouldn't be able to punch him, he reasoned.

Sakura's eye twitched.

This was the second time he stole her food.

_'How dare he?!?'_ she roared.

_**Stangely enough, her Inner just chuckled, but stayed silent.**_

_'How dare he?!?'_

_**'That's unimportant! He's holding your hands, baka!' This time, her Inner couldn't surpress a girlish giggle.**_

_'But he stole my food! Again!'_ Sakura whined.

_**'But he is giving you something better,' her inner argued. 'And you weren't that hungry anyway.'**_

_'Hmpf!'_

_**'More like 'Ohh, his hands are so warm', wouldn't you agree?'**_

_'Uhm… You're right, they are…'_

"Have you calmed down now?" Kakashi's voice interrupted her thoughts. "Can I let go of your hands without having you punch me?"

She wanted to say no, but it would probably come out in a breathless whisper, and she couldn't have that. So she just glared at him one final time, and nodded her head. He let go, and she immediately missed his warmth and the feel of the rough pad of his fingers on her soft skin. She crossed her arms over her chest defiantly, anyway. Her facial expression said it all: You owe me dinner! Crinkling his eyes again, he gave her all the answer she needed, so she returned to smiling again. Kakashi nodded his head in approval before turning back to his other two pupils.

"Very well, Naruto, Sasuke," he addressed them. "Tsunade wants to see you in her office a.s.a.p! You better go seeing her immediately. She said something about a new mission. Oh, and her office is in the dungeons of ANBU HQ at the moment…"

The two boys nodded, knowing that argueing wouldn't do them any good, and their sensei was the wrong person to argue with, anyway. Besides, they were hoping this new mission had something to do with torturing the bastard that was in Ibiki's immediate care at the moment.

"Ne, Sakura-chan, we'll come visit you often. Right, teme?"

"Hn," he said, meaning 'Yes'.

"Thank you, Naruto, Sasuke." She smiled. It was a real smile, they noticed. She was truly happy about the thought of having them around.

"And if the old hentai tries anything perverted on you, be sure to tell us. We'll keep his ass in line," the blonde added in an afterthought, hugging her so tight it was almost suffocating.

Sakura giggled, giving Sasuke an awkward hug as well, before they could vanish in a puff of smoke.

"Well," she said, teasingly, turning to her one-time sensei, and hooking one arm around his. "Well, were are you taking me out to eat tonight, sensei?"

"You'll see, Sakura-chan," he replied casual enough to fool the people around them, but she thought she heard a certain undertone, and shivered with anticipation. "But before that, I think, we should train a little. We haven't sparred in ages."

**333333**

Needless to say, Sakura landed flat on her back within the first fifteen minutes. She'd really thought, the boys and her were getting closer to matching his skill, but she still couldn't even touch the bell that was dangling from his hip, mocking her. Maybe it was, because of her newly awakened awareness of him, his body, but she couldn't seem to concentrate. His fluid movements always got her distracted. He was so in control of everything that it amazed and scared her at the same time. He had a complete power over her, as if he had put a spell on her, but he didn't abuse of this power, she knew, he knew, he had.

Well, except for now…

Having made her fall, he pinned her down with his body resting inbetween her thighs. He wasn't even trying to keep some of his weight off her, instead apparently intent on letting her feel him whole. With every pant, her chest rubbed against his, a hiss escaping them both. His hands that had been holding her wrist, were moving, lacing his fingers with hers. Gripping her hands tightly as if he never wanted to let go. She couldn't help but move one of her feet to rub against his leg. He groaned a little. The sound alone sent shivers down her spine. He was making her feel so…so what? She couldn't quite define it, but there was definitely nothing innocent about that feeling, though the warm glow was back in her heart. This time, however, there was something else lying beneath it. Something hot, and burning, something she had never felt before.

What was that?

All conscious thoughts were wiped from her mind when he kissed her. It was a gentle kiss, he wasn't demanding anything. It was just to feel her, to feel close to her. But it didn't seem to be enough for her today. Instead of just pressing back, Sakura began to move her lips a little, wanting to feel more of him- even through the mask. Kakashi groaned again, and she swallowed the sound just because she could. He moved his lips now, too, softly nipping at her bottom lip. The medic gasped. He didn't take it further, though. By some incredible act of will-power, he didn't rip his mask off to plunder her mouth, and taste the sweetness that was her.

Instead, he broke away with the slightest whimper of loss.

"I think, we should make it a tea-time-date," he said, looking into her eyes, and waiting for her response.

**End of chapter 11!**

**A/N: Okay, so maybe not so much fluff, but a little bit more… uhm…passion. I just couldn't resist.**

**Anyway, do you want Sakura to answer or should she just kiss him again, continuing their make-out-session?**

**(1): The sentence is not mine. I found it in another context in a Stargate Crossover fic, though I'm not sure anymore where I found it. I just want to clarify that it is not mine. I just thought it suited the situation well. :) **


	12. Pain and Comfort

**_Kiss Me Goodnight_**

**KakaSaku**

**Warnings: Uhm… violent thoughts ( who's squeamish might want to skip the next few lines after the word 'Anko' or when Ibiki is actually explaining what they are doing with Haruno-san) foul mouth, cursing…**

**Chapter 12: Pain and Comfort**

"Why is he trashing?" the blonde asked, confused. "You aren't even touching him."

"Dobe," the dark-haired one muttered, rolling his eyes.

The room was scracly illumintated with torches. A fact, that just added to the creepy athmosphere in the cell. Blood and other bodily fluids were all over the place, dried, covering the floor like a crust. And as if that wasn't enough, the whole room just reaked of pain, fear, and… sex? It was disgusting. Naruto had felt the need to gag long before he entered the room, and was fighting said urge ever since. What the hell had happened here? The room was full of guys- except maybe for Tsunade, who was sitting in a corner enjoying the show- and yet it smelled of sex? As far as the two young ANBU knew, none of their friends were gay- aside from Gai and Lee, but that was something nobody wanted to think about…

"We have put him under a genjutsu," Ibiki finally replied, after looking at his newest patient for the longest moment.

"What is he seeing?" Sasuke asked, but before the Head of interrogation could answer, Naruto butted in.

"Who cares?!? Why aren't you beating the living shit out of him?!?" the blonde demanded furiously.

"None of us want to touch him… it's too disgusting," the scarred man said, aggravated. "And the whip just isn't doing it for us anymore, especially since Kakashi is really better at using one… Anyway, Yamato came up with the idea of the genjutsu, though Anko and Genma decided what it would be about…"

'_Intresting,'_ Sasuke thought. _'Who would've guessed that Ibiki can be squeamish.'_

"As for what he is seeing," the older man continued, "He's meeting Anko in that particular genjutsu, who cut off his member and stuffed it into his mouth while someone 'loves' his ass… Now the ink-boy, Sai, is thinking of having one of his drawn figures reinact the whole thing for real."

"Eww!"

"Dobe."

"But that's just disgusting… and exactly what the perv derseves!"

Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"How long will you keep the genjutsu up?" the Uchiha inquired.

"We'll have to stop in a while, or he might die from the panic, and Tsunade-sama demands that he live through torture for at least three weeks. So we have to give him some time to rest, and calm down."

"Wouldn't three years be more appropriate, seeing how long he's been hurting Sakura?" the bluish-haired boy suggested.

"Well, Tsunade-hime never gave us a limit upwards…" Ibiki responded, grinning.

"Good." Sasuke smirked. "Tell us when he's had enough time to **calm down**."

"Yeah! We want to make him suffer, believe it!" the blonde yelled through the dungeon, loud enough to make the resident onlookers turn to him with scowls on their faces. They wanted to enjoy the show, and here some brat interrupts their 'peace and quiet'. Where had they done wrong?

"If you can actually bring yourself to touch that thing…" Ibiki shrugged.

"Come on, dobe, Tsunade wanted to see us," the Uchiha said, nodding to the scarred man before approaching the only woman in the room. Her honeyd gaze rested on the trashing, screaming, squirming form of one Haruno Masashiro as he relived the genjutsu over and over gain. Chuckles could be heard throughout the room, and even the Lady Hokage herself couldn't surpress a satisfied smirk. "You wanted to see us, Tsunade-sama?"

The woman turned to them.

"Oh, Sasuke, Naruto, yes. Indeed. Take a seat. So, how is my apprentice doing?"

"She seems to be fine, which is what worries me most," Sasuke replied. The Hokage nodded, but Naruto didn't understand. If Sakura was fine, why was the teme worried? Wasn't it a good thing that she got over it quickly? Shouldn't they be happy for their friend? That she could live a normal life again?

"Huh?" escaped the blonde ANBU's mouth.

"Normally, victims of rape close themselves off, are depressed, and have quite possibly suicidal tendencies. Sakura, on the other hand, smiles, and is happy. Even if she has her moments, when she's sad, or stutters, she seems to be in a good shape. Which can only mean one thing: She's keeping everything inside."

"And that means?" Naruto asked, concern rising in his chest.

"One day or another, Naruto, she'll snap," Tsunade answered instead of Sasuke. "All the bottled up emotion will break it's way through her, and it'll happen sooner rather than later."

"What should we do?"

"We can't do anything, dobe. If she doesn't want to let it out, she won't- no matter what we try."

"You're wrong, Sasuke. There is something we can do," the Hokage corrected, a small smile one her lips. Though sad, it also carried some hope. At the two boys dumbfounded, but eager expressions, she explained. "We can be there for her. We can make sure she understands that she isn't alone in this one. That we will help her as best as we can… As for the rest, as much as I hate to admit it, we should leave it to your sensei…"

"Kakashi-sensei?"

"Yes, Naruto. She trusted him enough to allow him in. To allow him to help her. She didn't run from him, and as far as I know from kakashi himself, she's never tried to deny what was happening- though she never confirmed it either."

A second of silence, then…

"This is stupid!" the blonde boy shouted, earning him another set of glares. "Why can't we help her, I mean, really help her... Why do we have to be so powerless?!? I hate to feel so helpless…useless…"

"I know, dobe. Me too."

**3333333**

Sakura looked around, surprised. This tea house looked more like a fine resturant. It had the form of a small compound with a paradise-like garden in it's inner courtyard, full of cherry trees, and Ginko, and even a little stream with a red-painted bridge. A jutsu had to be cast over the garden, because all the flowers were in full bloom, something quite odd for late autumn, but Sakura could care less. It looked beautiful, she couldn't take her eyes off of the scenery from the window of their compartment. Yet another specialty of this fantastic tea house: You could rent a little compartment, if you didn't want to sit with all the others in the hall. Every compartment had a different title. Hers and Kakashi's was called _'Like Phoenix from the ashes'_ and had therfore a whole swarm of the beautiful birds painted on the walls.

"Sakura?" Kakashi chuckled at her antics, though it was exactly what he had aimed for when he took her to this place. He had found it by coincidence a few years prior, and had wanted to introduce it to her ever since. "You do realize you're staring? It's highly impolite, especially when there's someone sitting on the opposite side of the table."

Breaking out of her reverie, the young medic dragged her gaze away from the wonderous garden to look up at her former teacher with a sheepish look. Scratching the back of her head to convey how utterly mortified she was, she averted her eyes from his intense gaze. The Copy Nin had put away his headband, uncovering his blood-red sharingan eye, and the scar that went over it, and down to his cheek. Like so many times before, she felt the sudden urge to run her finger acroos the sensitive skin, and this time she didn't fight against it. Standing up, she moved around the table, tea and Dango forgotten for the time being. Once she reached his side, closing the window as she went, the pink-haired woman kneeled beside him. Kakashi had raised an eyebrow. Now she was staring at him, but that didn't bother him nearly as much as if the garden had her undivided attention while he was sitting right there across the tiny room. Or so she assumed. Her gaze dropped to his hand which was holding the tea cup. She gently tugged it away from his grasp, and set it down onto the table. Her hands immediately returned to his larger one, taking it inbetween her own. Caressing over the skin, she learned it's texture: The rough pad of his hand, his calloused fingers, the silky back of it. She lifted his hand to be eye-level with hers, he didn't object. Looking at it for another moment, Sakura squeezed it lightly with her left hand, while her right moved on to cup his masked cheek, index finger brushing over the end of his scar as it disappeared beneath the dark cloth. She noticed that Kakashi had closed his eye, trusting her. Following the scar upwards, she reached his eyelid. She felt as if some strange power was pulling her to it, so she leaned in further until her lips gently brushed against the scarred skin.

His eyes fluttered, but remained closed.

'_What are you doing to me, Sakura?'_ the man thought, taking slow, deep breaths to calm himself. How could such an innocent touch awaken such a turmoil in a veteran like him? Where did this power, she had over him, come from? Where did she take the strength that was bringing him to his knees- or would, if he wouldn't already be kneeling- with just a brush of her soft, pink lips. He felt the urge to lavish her, but restrained. This was her day, her 'date'. It wasn't his place to decide what they would do. He was content with just letting her explore her newfound power, wondering for a moment if she would use it to demask him, only to decide that he really didn't care.

His obvious trust in her sent a rush of affection through her body. He was so different than any guy she had ever met. She had seen the desire, the need even, for another kiss even when he had suggested to go drink some tea and eat Dango. Yet, he hadn't protested when she'd shyly answered with a mumbled 'yes', her face red as a tomato. He had just smiled, eyes crinkling, brushed his nose against hers, and stood up. Reaching out a hand, he had helped her to her feet, and then led her out of the forest. The silver-haired man hadn't let go of her hand until the very outskirts of the woods, risking to be seen, gently squeezing before he loosened his grip.

He was so different than Sasuke…

_**'Well, of course,' her Inner raged. 'Sasuke s a boy, while Kakashi is a man.'**_

'_Yeah, a man…'_ she thought.

Her lips moved on, kissing his forehead, then his nose, and his other eyelid. She could feel his jaw clench under her hand, intent on keeping his control. Smiling, she moved further still, kissing both his cheeks. Then his jaw line. She could feel him shudder against her caresses. His hand gripped hers tightly, his other one grasping hold of her waist as if to steady himself. Her kisses moved closer to his chin, then downwards until she could feel his pulse underneath her lips. And up again. His chin got the softest kiss, before she moved away slightly to see him looking at her.

Blushing furiously, she excused herself to the bathroom.

She could hear his laughs as she practically ran out of the room. She didn't stop her frantic pace until she was safe behind the sacred doors of the ladies' room, earning herself quite a few strange looks. Locking the door behind herself just to be sure- Kakashi was a pervert after all- she walked over to the sink to splash some water into her face. It didn't help her cool down at all!

Why was she blushing? She hadn't had any problems with kissing him beofre, so why had she freaked out on him a second ago? Was it because he had looked at her? Was it his gaze that she shied away from? Maybe his sharingan? But why would she be afraid of it? Sure, it was Kakashi's deadliest weapon, but she'd seen it before, and had never freaked out. Mostly, because it wasn't directed at her- well, not to harm her anyway! Even when they sparred, Kakashi made sure not to hurt his ex-students… too badly. So, what was wrong with her now?

'_Maybe it was his gaze?'_ Sakura mused.

His gaze had healt something deep in those last few moments, before she had bolted away from him. There was the same loving care in his eyes as before, but now there was something smoldering within them as well. Was it lust? Was that what had her frightened like a rabbit? It wasn't that unnormal to feel lust with what she'd been doing to him, and it wasn't like he would act upon that feeling unless she wanted him to. If anything, Kakashi was surrendering control completely to her. Like in the forest not so long ago. His eyes had held the same needy hue, but he had accepted her decision without hesitation.

'_Great, now I freaked out on him twice in one day!'_

She sighed, then felt something warm running down her cheek.

'_Am I…crying?'_ Sakura thought, looking up. And sure enough, tears were streaming down her face. _'Why am I crying?'_

She only cried more. Her body started to feel numb, unresponsive. She needed to get back to Kakashi. Something was wrong with her, seriously wrong. Yet, no matter how much she wanted to go unlock that door, and return to the silver-haired man, her body wouldn't budge. She couldn't move a finger, and the tears were starting to cloud her field of vision. She felt tired, and weak, her knees buckled, but not with pleasure. She felt herself sinking down onto the cold floor, as the first droplets of water touched her clothes. She could hear her screams, yet could not fathom why she screamed in the first place. They sounded strange to her, anyway. There was pain somewhere in her body, but she couldn't really grasp on it, and everytime she seemed to have it, it slipped through her fingers, so to speak.

_'What is happening to me?'_

Then the world turned black.

**3333333**

When she woke up, Sakura found herself on her bed. It was dark, the curtains were closed. A look at the watch told her it was almost midnight. Remembering what had happened, she bolted upright, only to be tugged down again by a strong hand. Her head landed on something firm, and warm. Taking the risk of a bad surprise, she gazed up at the other person with her: It was Kakashi. He was sitting against the headboard of her bed, only his dark shirt with attached mask covering the chiselled chest she could feel from her view. He held her to him protectively, his arm around her shoulder, bringing her close. She leaned down until her head rested against his body again, relishing in the warmth he gave her. She felt cold, yet somehow at peace. It wasn't half unpleasent to be cold when their was someone there to warm you. Snuggling as close as she could get, she shifted her right arm until it went around his side. Only now she realized that her body rested between his legs.

Her face grew bright red in an instant.

"Uh…what happened?"

"… What do you remember?"

"I was… uhm…in the bathroom… thinking about…" Her blush deepened. "Then… I don't know…" A gasp "Something is wrong with me, Kakashi. I must be sick, 'cause my legs were giving out… and there were tears…and pain… and… I don't know…I felt so…"

"Broken?" he supplied.

She nodded.

"What is happening to me, Kakashi? Why do I feel so good in one moment, and then just… collapsed in the next?" Sakura inquired in a shaky whisper.

"Your body is dealing with the trauma. I should've foreseen this, I'm sorry," he replied.

"What for?" The medic frowned.

"Something must've triggered it. You were with me before it happened, so it was probably something I said, or did, and… I pushed you too far! I'm sorry."

"No!" Sakura huffed at him. "It wasn't your fault, Kakashi. You did nothing wrong. You didn't do anything I didn't want you to do. I… I just… What happened?"

She shook her head as if to clear her thoughts.

"Your mind did everything to not think about what has happened. It's a common mechanism of our subconscious to protect us… The pain just… became too much for your subconscious to bear, and… it snapped. The pain broke out, and your body reacted. It might happen again. It's okay, Sakura. You aren't weak," he explained as if reading her mind.

The young woman sniffed as she looked up at him, then smiled slowly.

"How do you do that?"

"Do what?" He raised an eyebrow at her.

"How do you always know what to say- what I need to hear?" she asked again, smile widening a little.

"Oh, you know, when you got it…" He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"Hentai!" she screeched, laughingly, and slapped him on the arm. Then, a thought came to her. "Where's Chihiro?… You didn't…?"

He looked down at her innocently.

"Kakashi," Sakura said in a low, threatening voice. "What did you do to her?"

"Nothing," he grumbled. "You should rather ask what she did to me, or is doing."

He pointed towards his head.

"If this is about that non-existent scrath again, then yo-" Sakura scoffed at him, but stopped in midsentence when she noticed what had slipped her sight before. Kakashi's silver mane wasn't pointing out in all directions. In fact, it was somehow flattened in the middle, only sticking out at the side of his head.

On top of the Copy Nin's ingenius head, lay, curled into a black ball, her little kitten.

"Oh," escaped Sakura's lips without her consent as she took in the sweet picture.

"…"

"You look so… cute together," the pink-haired girl teased.

The Sharingan Warrior just growled.

"Oh, so you can purr, too? How sweet!" Sakura teased further, a finger poking his chest.

Kakashi raised an eyebrow.

Sakura giggled, and snuggled back into his embrace for sleep. It might happen again, he'd said, but she would think about that later.For now, she would just enjoy his company, the way he felt against her...

**End of the 12th chapter!**

**A/N: I thought, a little bit of explaining was in order about what was happening to her father, and why Sakura seemed so unaffected by it all. For the next chapter... nah, I won't say anything! You may suggest scenes you'd like to see, though. :)**


	13. Grocery Shopping and Tsunade's Decision

**_Kiss Me Goodnight_**

**KakaSaku**

**A/N: What can I say... Enjoy it!**

**Chapter 13: Grocery Shopping and Tsunade's Decision**

It could happen again, he'd said.

And he seemed to take it quite seriously, too. He wasn't letting her out of his eyesight anymore, and Sakura was sure that he would even follow her into the bathroom, if she wouldn't lock it. And put a seal on it, so that he couldn't 'poof' into the room. Whatever she did, he was there. Sitting closely to her, or leaning against a wall, reading his perverted book, but he was there none the less. She thought it was kind of cute. I mean, come on, the great Hatake Kakashi following her around like a lost puppy?!?

How many chances did you get to see such a thing in life?

Right, almost none.

At the current moment, the pink-haired medic had decided to go grocery shopping. Her cupboard needed to be filled with something else than the Ramen, Naruto had put there in case he visited her, and she needed something to eat. Making her list, she could feel his presence behind her. He was reading over her shoulder. Immediately understanding what was going to happen, he took a pecil to add 'strawberries' and 'chocolate' to her list. Sakura blushed a deep crimson, and turned to look at him incredulously.

She was answered with the turn of a page.

A frustrated sigh escaped her lips together with a mutter that sounded suspiciously like 'pervert', but once she had her back to him again, she started smiling. She liked strawberries. And she liked chocolate. And she liked strawberries with chocolate. Preferably dark chocolate. Oh, Sakura knew she would enjoy this much more than she was supposed to, but didn't care at the moment. Raising to her feet, she found Kakashi already at her door. He helped her into her coat like the gentleman he was, and even opened the door for her, chuckling at her 'pretty blush' as he put it, husky voice whispering into her ear. Blushing even more deeply, Sakura ran down the stairs, and onto the street.

Another chuckle from Kakashi.

The store wasn't far away, fortunately. They just rounded a corner, slipped through automatic doors and found themselves in a paradise for sugar addicted. Sakura noticed for the first time that candy was always the first and last thing you got confronted with in a store, in order to make you buy more than you originally intended. She also noticed that it was working: She had already grabbed hold of two different sorts of stuffed chocolate!

Turning, she found Kakashi looking at her in a bemused way.

Blushing a little more for him, just because he adored it so much, or at least that's what the medic would tell herself, she put back the sweets, and went on to find the dark chocolate they needed for the strawberries. Of course, she would find it on the top cupboard, where she could not reach it by herself. Luck really seemed to hate her! Couldn't something be easy once in a while? Sighing, she glanced at the Copy Nin who was engrossed in his book again.

"Kakashi-sensei, uhm... could you get me the-ahh!"

Before she could finish her sentence, the silver-haired man had already grabbed her by her waist, and was lifting her up just enough for her to reach the chocolate she wanted. Her face became a deeper shade of red, but she took to bars of the brown gold anyway, trying hard to contain her smile. He could've just reached fot it himself, he was tall, and could've gotten his hands on it easily, but she liked the way he chose better. Any on-looker would shrug it off as the Copy Nin's eccentric way of handling things, and the two of them could relish in the closeness it gave them. Mumbling a 'thank you' when he put her down again with one of his eye-crinkling smiles, she hurried on, rushing through the store to get done, and go home.

Forgetting for a moment that he was going to be there as well.

Like on the street before, the two of them earned quite a few strange looks. People were eyeing them curiously, and full of suspicions, whispering behind their backs, yet loud enough for them to hear. Sakura's blush didn't help the idea that sprung into people's heads, which in turn when spoken out loud, made her blush all the more. Kakashi didn't seem quite so affected as he continued to just walk closely behind her, holding up and reading his dirty novel. Most of the looks were for him, since it was a commonly known fact that he had a pink-haired, female student, and not to mention that he was a pervert. Therefore, people automatically assumed he had corrupted the poor girl.

But of course, they could also be staring at the fluffy furball that still hadn't left his head…

Ever since yesterday afternoon, when Kakashi had gotten home carrying an unconscious Sakura in his arms, the little, black kitten seemed to have come to be his best friend. At first, the tiny hellcat had jumped on top of his head to get a good look at it's kunoichi mistress, and apparently it started to like the place. Since Chihiro had found out what a comfy place the Sharingan-user's mess of soft, silver hair was, she had absolutely refused to leave, even going as far as to sinking her nails into his hair and head when Sakura had tried to pry her off her ex-teacher. Kakashi had sighed, but ignored the kitten from then on as best as he could, though it didn't seem to work, because he had started to pat the little animal every now and then. Obviously, Chihiro had worked her way into his heart as well.

So, that might be a reason to stare.

Either way, nobody said anything to either of their faces. After all, nobody messed with the Copy Nin!

Quickly paying for her purchases, Sakura hurried outside, where she waited for the lazily strolling Kakashi. Still reading, he caught up with her, extending a hand. Confused for a moment, she soon grasped the concept, and handed him two of her shopping bags. Yet, he still wouldn't retreat his hand. Lifting an eyebrow, Sakura shrugged, handing over the other two to him as well. If he wanted to be chivalrous, she surely wouldn't stop him. Instead, she gave him her brightest smile, and he chuckled. Grabbing hold of her shoulder, he teleported them back into her apartment, leaving all the curious glances from inside the store behind. Out of instinct, Sakura grasped onto his arm at the sudden flare of chakra in the air around her.

Once back, Kakashi dropped the bags onto the floor.

Encircling her waist with his arms, he lifted the younger woman up, and brought her close to his chest as he leaned back against the door. His masked face nuzzled her neck, taking deep breaths to inhale her scent. When she didn't react for a minute, he got a little worried, but she soon slid her arms around his neck, and pressed herself closer, her legs going around his waist to be more comfortable. Now this, was not an action the silver-haired man had foreseen when he caught her in his arms, but that didn't mean he wasn't enjoying it.

Actually, he was probably enjoying it a little too much…

Yet, he found himself unable to let go, so instead, he moved to sit down on the couch with Sakura still in his arms, gently stroking her back. By her sigh he concluded that she found the situation quite pleasant herself. Not that she needed comfort of any type, no, at the moment she was perfectly fine, but she would pretend not to be, if it meant being in his arms just for a minute longer. No that there was anyone she needed to pretend for- Yamato and Sai hadn't been following as Kakashi stated. One of his hands tangled in her pink locks, softly massaging her scalp and neck.

Another sigh left her lips.

"You never gave me that kiss you intended on placing upon my lips…" he accused with mock-hurt.

Pushing at her shoulders a little, he made her lean back in order to look at her face, flushed and beautiful. Smirking beneath his mask, he slowly closed the gap between them, giving her all the time in the world to stop him or get away, but she didn't. In fact, she did quite the contrary, pressing further into him until their lips touched. It was unhurried like all of their kisses, full of love. Then he cautiously nibbled at her bottom lip. Sakura whimpered in response, still trying to get closer.

Kakashi smirked against her mouth.

Sakura broke away.

"Take it off!" she demanded, her voice lower than usual, but with an edge of frustration.

Kakashi raised an eyebrow at her. He knew exactly what she meant, but teasing her was just so funny. So, he did what she asked for, just not what she desired. He leaned further away from her, and raised his shirt with attached mask over his head. Underneath, he still wore his second mask, but she didn't see that, because she turned away in embarrassment, flushing from head to toe.

"Th-that's not-t wh-wha-what I m-meant…" the pink-haired beauty bit out.

Kakadhi laughed.

"You asked me to 'take it off' while you were fisting your hands in my shirt. What else was I supposed to assume?" He mocked her. "But if you wanted my pants off, all you had to do was ask…"

"Pervert!" she screeched, slapping his chest.

His naked chest.

'_Did I just…t-touch his n-na-naked ch-chest?'_ she thought. _'I can't believe I just did that!'_

_**'Yes, ma'am, you better believe it!' her Inner cheered.**_

'_Uh-oh.'_

**_'His chiselled, naked chest with that well-defined six-pack, and-'_**

"_Okay, okay, okay. I get it, thank you!'_ she barked at her Inner.

_**Inner Sakura giggled. **__Outer Sakura blushed even more._

'_**Now look at him, would you?!?' she demanded.**_

Slowly, Sakura turned to look…

…into a masked face.

"Argh!" she ground out.

Kakashi laughed.

"If you wanted my mask off, all you had to do was-"

"Ask! Yes, thank you very much," Sakura finished for him, trying very hard not to look at his exposed upper half.

"No," Kakashi dead-panned. "All you had to do was remove it yourself."

"Oh."

"…"

"You would really allow me to take off your mask?" she asked hopefully.

His eyes crinkled.

"Now that's another question, isn't it?"

"Hmpf!" Sakura huffed, and was about to stand up, her body already turned away from him, but then she felt his lips on the column of her neck once more on her cleavage, halfway down her breastbone. Sucking, licking and biting, he did his best to leave a mark as he heard the young girl moan in his arms. She had stiffened for a moment, when she first felt his lips so low on her cleavage, but her discomfort was soon forgotten, and she understood that he kissed a point so low, because she could easily cover it with the high-collar shirts she normally wore. His lips travelled upwards, the hand previously in her hair cupped her chin to tilt her head back. However, he didn't grant her any time to take a proper look at his uncovered face. Instead, he pressed his lips back onto hers, and this kiss was so different than anything he had done before. When kissing her chest, he had given her the rough treatment, though not unwelcomed. Now on the other hand, he was merely resting his lips on hers, closed and lightly nibbling at her bottom lip again for a second before retreating, and pulling his mask back up. (Though he had kissed her more passionately before, the mere fact that this time there wasn't anything to cover her lips, made it so much better, too.)In her hazed state of mind, she still wasn't able to clearly see his features.

'_Damn!'_ she thought, once she'd calmed down enough to actually think at all.

**33333**

A knock on her door.

"Come in!" the Hokage shouted.

As she looked up, the door was opened, and her best jounin stepped inside, much to her chargrin. Wasn't he supposed to watch over her apprentice? His former student? Who had just been raped, for gods' sake?!? As if reading her mind, he told her that he left a clone with Sakura along with his Ninken (Nin Dogs). If anything happened while he was away, he would know immediately, and teleport himself back. Not really placated, but too tired to argue, the honey-eyed woman let it slide. She was drowning in paperwork, as she had forgone it for the pleasure of seeing that little bastard squirm. She wished she could be there now. Naruto, Sasuke, Yamato and Sai were given him a nice beat-up, not to mention that Sasuke planned to use his Mangekyo Sharingan on him and maybe burn a few limbs with his Amaterasu before sending Haruno into a world of pain with his Tsukonomi. But, as the Elders had been so kind to point it out to her, she could not let her work wait for another moment.

'Curse them all!' Tsunade thought.

"This better be important, Hatake. I'm busy as you can see…" She gestured to all the scrolls lying around.

"It's about Sakura."

"If you want to request another mission-"

"She had a fit."

"… When?"

"Yesterday, at a tea house. I had taken her there in hopes to cheer her up, but… she snapped."

"…So it has happened already."

"It might happen again."

"I know, Kakashi. I'm a medic… She will need a therapy and-"

"With all due respect, Hokage-sama-"

"Everytime you call me that, I know you're going to say something I won't like."

Kakashi ignored her comment.

"I don't think shoving her into a room with a psychiatrist will help her very much."

"And what do you suggest, then? Should we just let her pain build up again, so she'll snap another time?"

"Of course not!" Kakashi barked, raking a hand through his messy silver hair in fristration, and Tsunade knew she had gone to far. He cared for Sakura, and she had made it look like she doubted that. Remorse bit at the Fifth, but she kept quiet to listen. "We should just not take any rash actions. She has to work this out in her own time. She needs somewhere where she can feel safe, and I don't think that she is feeling completely safe at the moment. She may not notice it herself, but the way she holds her body just screams insecurity and unconscious fear. And Sakura won't be able to heal while she feels that."

"You mean… she needs to get out of Konoha for a while?"

"It would be the best course of action."

"But Kakashi, I can't send her on a mission right now. She's not stable enough… Yet, for her to get back to being stable she needs to get away… just great, it's a vicious circle."

"I didn't say you should send her on a mission."

"Huh?"

"…"

"What should I do then?"

"I don't know," the Copy Nin replied rather pathetically, falling into a seat infront of her desk, and raking a hand through that silver mob he called hair again. Scrutinizing him for a few minutes of silence as he held his head, elbows on her desk, trying to think up a solution for this problem, she finally sighed.

"Michiro has been asking what he could do for you guys for saving his country. Grab your things, Hatake, and tell Sakura to pack a swimsuit. I'll inform Naruto, Sasuke, Yamato and Sai."

She grinned.

"Huh?" It was Kakashi's turn to look at her, confused.

"Be ready by tomorrow morning. You're going to Moon Country."

**End of chapter 13!**

**A/N: I know it's shorter than the others, but I wanted to have a transition between the... uhm, let's call it Fire Country Arc and the Moon Country Arc. I hope you liked it! Please leave a review:)**


	14. Camping

**Kiss Me Goodnight**

**KakaSaku**

**A/N: The team has started it's trip for the moon Country.**

**Chapter 14: Camping**

It was chilly, but not exactly cold.

They had been travelling for the better part of the day. Silence had ensued between them , but that wasn't strange, seeing as 3 of their team members were of silent nature, and the fourth was engrossed in his dirty book as always. As for the last two members of this 'special mission' as Tsunade had labeled it, one of them- the only female- wasn't in a very talkative mood, and prefered to keep herself absorbed in her own thoughts, while the other was physically itching to say something that had kept going through his mind. Silently betting how long it would take the blonde to finally ask the question that had been plaguing everybody in the little group- well, everybody except for Sakura and Kakashi- the rest of the little group exchanged glances now and then, and took turns watching the wanna-be Hokage out of the corner of their eyes.

As the night approached "We'll make camp here!" came to be the first spoken words between them.

The other shinobi nodded towards their silver-haired team leader, and moved to land on the ground soundlessly as their journey. The Copy Nin swiftly ordered his long-time kohai, and their artist-friend to set up the tents, and the last Uchiha and the Kyuubi container were directed to get some water from a nearby river, while the only kunoichi of the team along with himself would get some wood, and start a fire.

Sakura dropped her bag, and took out her tent for Yamato and Sai to set it up without having to rummage through her things. It would be very awkward if they found some of the 'utensils' she had packed for this little trip. Then she disappeared between the trees, looking for fallen or dead branches they could use. Picking up a piece of wood now and then, she let her thoughts wander. Tsunade sent them on a vacation to Moon Country, so that she could get over things completely, and without being influenced by familiar sights that could trigger bad memories. Sakura didn't really know what to make of it. Sure, she was aching for a vacation since she became jounin, but to send her and her whole team all the way over to Moon because of these ugly cicumstances…

It just seemed a little bit too much.

Furthermore, it was her and her **whole** team! Meaning, the possibility of spending time alone with Kakashi was extremely small. Not that she minded 'her boys' presence, she actually enjoyed to having them close to her again, but there was just this little problem with the privacy. Not to mention that the pink-haired medic was suspicious if there wasn't another part to this 'mission' for their teammates. What if Tsunade had ordered them to keep a close eye on her and Kakashi? What if she still suspected? And what would she do, if she found out about the two of them?

This relationship was taboo!

Kakashi would lose his good name, his reputation, and more than likely his head. The old laws were still very severe about such violations. Plus, she was like a daughter to the Hokage, this she knew. She saw in the honey-eyed woman some sort of an adoptive mother, as well, and she feared Tsunade's wrath over their bond, not to mention her disappointment in her. Yet, she couldn't even think about breaking it all off- before it even started, no less- without feeling her heart clenching painfully at the prospect. She didn't want to lose this closeness between herself and the Copy Nin. Now that she had seen his soft side, his most human side, she didn't want to ever let go again.

This dangerous man, this lethal tool, was so gentle and caring towards her, as if she was the most precious thing, and it made her heart flutter.

Suddenly, she found herself embraced from behind, a hand coming up to stiffle her shocked gasp. She was pulled backwards until she rested against the warm, sculptured chest of a man, and obviously very well-trained man. A cheek found it's way against the side of her neck as lips nibbled at the juncture of her shoulder and throat ever so slightly. Without even thinking, she inclined her head to the side with a soft moan to provide him with more playground. He just caressed his cheek over the column of her neck, until it rested against her own.

"Ssh, it's just me," his smooth voice whispered, his hot breath tickling the corner of her mouth.

"Kakashi?"

"Hm."

"What are you doing? Yamato and Sai are-"

"-busy setting up camp, and as for Naruto and Sasuke… I can hear them arguing at the river."

"But-…but it's still risky, y-you said so yourself," she reminded him of their conversation when he came back from Tsunade.

**33333333**

_Flashback_

_Kakashi slammed the door shut as he entered._

_Sakura wasn't sure, if she should be happy that he actually used the door for once, or scold him that he made so much noise doing it. She settled for neither as she watched his annoyed stance. No need to put oil into the fire, really! ´Meanwhile, Kakashi raked both of his hands through his messy silver hair, earning him another scratch on his skin. He was grateful, Tsunade hadn't noticed the little hellcat sitting on top of his head, because she'd been to distracted by the topic of their argument. It would've made his annoyance so much greater, because the blonde Hokage would've probably pointed a finger at him while laughing his head off. _

_Laughing so hard, she would've been seen crying._

_For obvious reasons, Kakashi was not very keen on seeing that- let alone be the cause of it. He had tried to ignore the little demon called Chihiro ever since it claimed his, HIS hair for herself, but alas, it was harder than you might think. The black furball was so happy to relish in the softness of the Copy Nin's silver locks, it left only to eat or, thank the gods, use the toilets. Once done, it would immediately return to it's favorite spot. Kakashi had tried everything, beside shaving his head, to get the tiny animal out of his hair, but the kitten had even withstood the worst of torture- well, worst of torture for a cat._

_A shower._

_Still, it resided on top of his head._

_Kakashi grunted in frustration, while glaring daggers at the bangs of silver hair he could see. Shaking his head, he returned to the present situation. Sakura, still standing in the middle of the living room for no apparent reason, was staring at him in concern. Frowning, he wondered what would make her worry, then remembering that he had slammed the door. Two reasons to be concerned about his behaviour. He was surprised she didn't try to feel his temperature yet. Scratching the back of his head, he apologized silently, then moved to take her into his arms once again._

"Tsunade and her ideas," _he growled, irritated._

"Huh?"

"I told her about your… condition…"

_Sakura gasped, and shifted closer to him, so he wouldn't see her shame._

"Better be happy that I got her to drop the idea of having you having sessions with Ibiki," _Kakashi joked._

"Ibiki?"

"´Believe it or not, he's our best psychiatrist."

_Sakura's only response was a shudder._

"My point exactly." _Kakashi's eye crinkled, though she could not see it._

"And… now what?"

"She sends us to Moon Country for vacation."

"…Isn't that… uhm…good?" _Sakura asked carefully. She couldn't see anything wrong with going to Moon for a nice long holiday with Kakashi._

"Don't race ahead of yourself. With 'us', I mean the whole team. She's probably telling Naruto and the others right now."

"Oh. And?"

"Well, for once, she did send Yamato and Sai after us during our mission to Suna, and even when we were back…"

"…Oh, right," _Sakura murmured, a little embarrassed, but finally understanding how Tsunade could've known about everything. Kakashi must've talked to Yamato and Sai while she was off doing something else._

"And," _he continued, his voice dropping an note, so that it sounded husky._ "It means that we'll have to…**behave**…"

_"…"_

"Something I'm really bad at," _he added, tilting her head so that she was looking into his smoldering eyes again- when had he removed his hitae-ate (sp?)?- and starting to nibble at her chin through his mask. A contented sigh escaped her lips along with a tiny whimper of pleasure. Her head fell back a little further, inviting Kakashi to dip his mouth into the crook of her neck, which he did. When his lips met her skin again, his mask had been removed to allow maximum contact. His tongue licked over her throat softly, so as not to leaves marks that would be noticed immediately on her pale skin. Sakura's hands fisted in his hair, where they could actually touch, seeing as the annoying kitten was still purring loudly atop of the Copy Nin._

'At least, it isn't interfering…' _the silver-haired man thought._

_Lifting Sakura up, he moved them both to the couch. Kakashi layed down, positioning her in between his legs once again, and holding her to him carefully, as if he was afraid to break her. His mask was back in place when the pink-haired girl shifted in order to use his chest as a pillow, and his arms took a blanket to cover them both. He thought Sakura had already drifted off into sleep, and was startled when she suddenly sat up straight with a light wail._

"We've just gone grocery shopping!" _she cried._ "Now, it was all for nothing… When we return, the strawberries will…"

_Here, she stopped herself, and went red in the face._

_Kakashi chuckled._

"We'll just take them with us," _he suggested, wriggling his eyebrows a little._

_Her blush flared even more._

"Uhm…yeah…" _she managed, before she went hiding in his chest again._

_The Copy Nin laughed._

"Goodnight, Sakura," _he told her, kissing the top of her pink locks._

"Meow!"

**'Scratch'**

"Yeah, yeah, goodnight to you too, hellcat," _he added, growlingly, patting the kitten._

"Purr!"

**'Lick'**

_Kakashi snorted._

_End of Flashback_

**3333333333**

"As I said, they are busy," the silver-haired man repeated, then adding smugly, "-and so are we!"

He turned her head just a little to kiss her lips, the hand that had been silencing her before, now covering her eyes, so she still couldn't see his face. A groan of protest left her lips open, and this time, Kakashi took the initiative. Sliding his tongue partially into her warm orifice, and out again, he waited for her response. Her moist lips trying to close around his tongue before it could leave her completely, was enough of an answer for him. He gently invaded her mouth again, slowly, softly, so as not to scare her. Sakura instinctively sucked a little on his muscle, and earned herself a groan from the man behind her. Kakashi stepped out from behind her, pushing her back against the tree. She didn't argue, still too engrossed in the amazing feeling his tongue in her mouth was giving her.

He was about to coax the young woman's tongue to play with his, when the radio cracked.

"We're done here, sempai."

He let go of Sakura in an instant, his mask back up, chancing her a glance of regret about not finishing.

"We'll make our way back to camp now."

There was no answer from the other side of the radio, but that was just fine with Kakashi. He looked into his kunoichi's jade green eyes for another couple of moments, before motioning for her to follow him back. Picking up the wood they had gathered, the Copy Nin and the Mini-Tsunade returned to their team with a well-hidden reluctance. Naruto and Sasuke had brought some water to cook with. It was already boiling, and the blonde seemed all to happy to fill six Instant-Ramen cups with it.

"If you had come back a little sooner, maybe we could've stopped him, but under these circumstances I just hope you can bear with Ramen for dinner," Yamato told them with a bemused grin.

"Bear with Ramen?!? What do you mean? There is nothing as great as the-"

Sasuke hit him over the head, before Naruto could go into a gush/rant about his favorite food.

"Shut up, dobe."

"Nobody wants to know that, dickless," Sai added with one of his fake smiles.

"WHAT did you just call me?!?" Naruto yelled so loud, Michiro could probably still hear it all the way over in Moon Country, and was most likely chuckling at it, remembering his own encounter with Uzumaki Naruto.

Sighing, Yamato moved to stop the blonde from starting a fight. They were supposed to go on a vacation, not burn down a whole forest of the Land of Fire. Red-faced, Naruto was trying to get away from the brown-haired ANBU Captain to get his revenge on the artist, while Sasuke just 'tch-ed' the whole situation. Sakura threw Kakashi a glance to see, if he was going to do anything, but the Sharingan Warrior was already sitting against a trunk, and reading his pervy book again. Sighing much like her temporary team leader a minute before, the pink-haird medic walked over to her long-time friend, and hit him soundly over the head, halting his struggles, because he was knocked unconscious by her brutal strength.

A second later, Sai flew through five trees.

"That'll teach the both of them, not to make such a fuss," she explained, once she noticed Yamato's shocked expression.

"Sakura," Kakashi piped in. "Heal him."

"…Fine," the pink-haired medic grumbled. "But only enough, so that he'll survive."

Kakashi turned a page in his Icha Icha.

333

Once everyone was healed, and had finally eaten their cup of Ramen- Kakashi turning away from his team, and having a shadow clone knock Naruto out again when the blonde tried to 'peep'. Raising an eyebrow at the bloody visage of her blonde friend with a broken nose, Sakura had informed their team leader that he'll heal that himself. When the Copy Nin had tried to argue that he hadn't the slightest idea, how to, she had yelled the word 'Liar' at him so loud, Michiro was probably woken up from his slumber, and reminded of all the times, she had thrown Naruto through the air during their mission to protect the princes of the Moon Country.

Sighing, the silver-haired man had given in, while the rest of the team sweat-dropped.

"Well, goodnight, gentlemen," the only woman of the team told them, and left for her tent after receiving replies from everyone, except for the still unconscious Naruto. Her gae locked with Kakashi's for a moment in time, and she knew he could see the fear behind her calm façade. It would be the first time, she'd sleep alone, and there was no way to avoid it. Naruto and Sasuke would share one tent, Yamato and Kakashi the other, and she would sleep in her own. Kakashi couldn't sneak away from his kohai unnoticed, and she really didn't need to see Yamato's expression, should he wake up in the morning to find a third person in their tent.

No, this time their would be no way around it.

"Kakashi-sensei?"

Sakura stopped for a moment, curious as to what Naruto wanted to say.

"Hm."

"I don't know, if you noticed, but… duh… there's a cat on your head…" It seemed the young ANBU finally snapped.

"Ah yes, Naruto, how very perceptive of you."

"Why is there a cat on your head?"

"Because it's not on my shoulder?" Kakashi replied, mockingly.

"Why is there a cat on you, period?!?" the blonde asked, index finger pointing at his team leader accusingly.

"Hm."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I thought that was obvious."

"NO!"

"Well, 'hm' means 'hm'."

"WHAT?!?"

"Dobe, stop screaming."

"But, but… Kakashi-sensei is being a meanie!"

"Tch, dobe. Is that the best you can come up with?"

Sakura giggled slightly, and entered her tent as the bickering continued. She quickly changed into her pajamas, and slipped into her sleeping bag, only to find something vibrating against her chest, and an odd sound filling the room. Looking down, she found Chihiro curled against her bosom. Obviously, the black kitten had willingly left Kakashi's soft-haired head to stay with her through the night, so that she wasn't completely alone. Sakura was very touched by this, and hugged the little furball a little.

Chihiro purred louder.

Watching the lights go out, so to speak, she listened to the shuffling feet, as everybody got ready for bed. Suddenly, the pink-haired girl couldn't help but feel alone again. Sure, there was Chihiro, and the other were only a few meters away. Kakashi would be by her side in the blink of an eye, if anything should happen, but even knowing all that, she felt strangely empty. Lost. She was safe, but knowing that just couldn't compare to the feeling of safety Kakashi gave her when his arms encircled her waist, and she just had to breath ever so slightly to smell his musky scent that enveloped her as much as he did when they slept together- well in the same bed.

A scratch at the opening of her tent caught her attention. Chihiro was up in an instant, claws digging into Sakura's sleeping bag, a series of hisses leaving the small cat. Another scratch, and Sakura slowly opened the tent, kunai in hand.

"Put that away, you silly girl, it's just me!"

"Pakkun?" she asked, to be sure that she heard correctly. She couldn't see him well in the darkness.

"The one and only, now let me in, would you."

A second later, the pug stood infront of her, holding a black shirt in his mouth.

"Kakashi asks you to wear this," the pug explained, smugly.

Sakura blushed. Apparently, Kakashi had read her thoughts again. Being his shirt meant it smelled like him as well. Though she was sure, Pakkun thought along other lines… Shuddering, she dismissed those thoughts, instead taking the shirt from the little dog, and shrugging it over her tank top. She realized that it was still warm, so he must've worn it for the travel, and it smelled slightly sweaty, but that didn't bother her. Bringing her hands to the collar with the attached mask, she burried her nose in it, taking a deep breath.

Giggling, she thanked Pakkun.

"Also, I was ordered to stay with you," the pug replied, grinning.

Raising an eyebrow, Sakura finally shrugged, inviting him into her sleeping bag, under the condition that he be nice to Chihiro.

**End of chapter 14!**

**A/N: Well, I hope you like it. From Feb. 8th I'll be away for two weeks. I'll try to update one more time before that, but I can't and won't promise that I'll make it. I'm sorry! On the other hand, that gives you plenty of time to R & R:P**


	15. A beautiful Nightmare and a dangerous Pr

**Kiss Me Goodnight**

**KakaSaku**

**A/N: There is your next chapter. It's not long, but I wanted to put it into a chapter of it's own. **

**Chapter 15: A beautiful Nightmare and a dangerous Promise**

It was late.

The night had long spread it's dark blanket over the world, no organge streak was left at the horizon. The forest rested calmly, peacefully, nothing disturbed it's quiet. It felt almost homely, espacially if one was used to camping in the wilderness. This feeling of safety would lull you into sleep, and present you with idyllic dreams where you could escape all the pain and sorrow of the waking world. Nothing could be wrong in such a place, nothing would set you off, all tension draining from your body until all you could feel was bliss.

Yet, one man lay awake.

He was a very skilled shinobi, one of the most dangerous additions to the Bingo Book since the tender age of thirteen. He had been trained never to let his guard down, to always expect an attack, even at the most inconspiscious of moments, but it weren't his ninja instincts that kept him away from dreamland. And nothing, nothing in all the circles of hell could've prepared him for the truth.

He missed her.

It was irrational, he knew. She was right there, only two walls of tents, and a few meters of air between them, yet that was already too far for him. It could've been miles between them. He missed her, the feeling of her in his arms, the subtle scent of vanilla in his nose when he burried it in her pink locks. He even missed the half-conscious punchs she gave him when shifting between awakening and sleep. He missed everything about her, but why? Why was he in such a need to be close to her? She was safe, wasn't that all that mattered? Couldn't he live through another night of nightmares for once until she would be there to cast away his bad dreams?

Apparently, he couldn't.

He could've mentally slapped himself. He should be thinking about her. She had been through such terrible things, and had to spend the night alone. His mind would obviously aruge that she had Pakkun, and his shirt. And Chihiro. Something about that irked him. He thought he would be happy once the little demon was out of his hair- literally- yet now he found himself wishing her back. She smelled just like her mistress, so he guessed Sakura used her shampoo for the kitten as well.

If he could just have something of her.

Here, with him.

He had given her his shirt in hopes that it would chase away any dark thoughts of her recent past, but now he wished she had send something in return. Then again, it would've been awkward should Yamato find him clutching one of Sakura's garments in his sleep… Maybe one of her own shirts, or pant…ies… He immediately slapped himself mentally at the inappropriate thought. He shouldn't be thinking that way. He should just roll over, close his eyes, and get some sleep. The dogs were keeping watch, there was nothing to be wary off. He should just forget about all of it, and go chase his Icha Icha Butterfly-Books in a meadow somewhere in dreamland. It was pointless, though, and he knew it. He wouldn't get any sleep, if he didn't have her around. He grew accostomed to her presence in his bed, or tent or whatever. So much in fact that he even took one of her smaller towels with him when he lived at ANBU HQ during his time with her father. It, too, had smelled just like her, and was the only reason, he'd found any sleep at all. Now, he had nothing of her with him. He knew, he shouldn't have put the towel back into her laundry when he returned to her apartment. He sighed. Now it was too late for such thoughts. He would just have to deal with it.

But he didn't want to, damn it!

Kakashi sighed again. It was almost dawn, now.

Getting up, he crawled out of the tent, but not before waking up Yamato.

"Sempai?" the sleepy voice inquired.

"Can't sleep. I'll go take some fresh air."

"O…Okaaaaay…" the brown-haired man yawned, rolled over, and was fast asleep again.

Smiling to himself, Kakashi made his way to the other side of the camp. He sat down against a tree, and pulled out his Icha Icha. He was now sitting directly beside Sakura's tent, he could almost breath in her scent. He knew, if he just moved a few steps, and pulled down the zipper of the tent's entrance… he'd be caught. He knew the sound wouldn't go unnoticed by at least two of the members of Team Kakashi. There was no way, he could get away with it. Even if she were to offer, he would still get his ass kicked by the team, and later on Tsunade- and he really didn't want to end up like the other Haruno…

Sighing again, he opened his book.

The only thing left to do, was read. Maybe it would clear his mind of her long enough for him to fall asleep. Of course, if that were his plan, he should've read 'War and Peace' (which I don't own) instead of Jiraya's adventurous novel. He was at a very juicy part, too. Junko just saved his female comrade from his genin-days from a bunch of very vicious men, and she was about to show him her gratitude by…

"Ahhhhhh!"

**333333**

As Pakkun snuggled into the sleeping bag, Sakura couldn't help but smile. Kakashi was being so considerate again. She couldn't believe this man that obviously cared for her so deeply, was one of the most efficent trained assasins in the Shinobi World. Of course, the restless souls of his countless victims- shinobi and civilians alike- would surely beg to differ. There was no doubt a dark side to her silver-haired friends, and being an elite jounin for so long just made it darker than those of others. She'd seen his dark side before, too. She'd seen him fight, had seen him kill, had seen the almost animalistic look in his exposed eye when he fell into a frenzy. She called it 'almost' because he had still had some sort of control, which was actually the most impressive part of it all.

That he could control himself, even when every fibre of his body screamed 'Kill', even when his very being was thirsty for blood.

It was as if he had two different personalities, and- unlike her with her rebel of an Inner Sakura- was in complete control over both. He seemed capable of calling forth whichever one he wanted, whenever he wanted. He made it look like he just had to push a switch. And at the moment, he was obviously in the 'former teachter turned team leader turned friend turned something else – mode'.

Sakura smiled before taking another deep breath of his masculine scent.

Settling down, she soon found herself in the land of dreams.

(The Dream)

_She was in a meadow, there was nothing but pure nature everywhere. There was a lake a few feet from her, and apparently mountains surrounded the place. A little bit farther away there was a forest, the trees swayed lightly with the wind, and it felt cold against her skin. She looked down at herself. She was wearing her white bikini, and was completely soaked. She'd been swimming in the lake it seemed.  
_

_She shuddered._

_  
Suddenly, a towel was put around her shoulders. Sakura looked up. There was Kakashi, in black swim-shorts that stopped above his knees, but hung lowly on his hips. Of course, his mask was still very much present, but at least his hitae-ate was gone, so that she choul enjoy the sight of both his eyes crinkling with his smile. He sat down behind her, his hands still on her shoulder as he started to massage her gently. The pink-haired girl immediately relaxed, leaning back against his sculptured chest, head falling back as well until it rested against his shoulder. _

_He laughed, and asked how he was supposed to massage her like this. _

_She said, she didn't care. _

_She could feel him shrugging, and dropping his hands from her body, only to take the towel again. A small sound of disappointment fell from her lips, but was replaced with the soft rubbing of the fluffy object as he dried her off. He didn't touch her anywhere intimate, but the feather light touches he left upon her body were more than enough to draw a small moan from her. His hands caressed her neck through the towel, and she tilted her head further back to relish in the feeling. Then, he was suddenly drying off her right thigh, and Sakura jerked involuntarily._

_What was that just now?_

_This flash of heat?_

_He slowed his movements, yet they seemed to only get more sensual in doing so. One of his hand brushed her inner thigh, and it happened again. She didn't know what to do with it. She wasn't naïve when it came to the workings of her own body, being a medic and all, but that shouldn't have felt so…good, hot, should it? He was just wiping the water off her leg, so that she wouldn't catch a gold, right? Nothing sensual there, so why was she reacting the way she did?_

'_Maybe because this is a dream,' Sakura mused, before all thoughts were driven away from her when his lips found her neck where it met her shoulder-blades. His tongue darted out to lick at it ever so lightly. Was it even there, or was she just imagening things? Well, of course she was dreaming, so she was imagening all of it, but…you know what she meant._

_It felt so good, it was almost surreal._

_She turned around to him, her eyes closed. Somehow, she new that the dream would fade if she tried to peak at Kakashi without his mask, since she'd never seen him without it before. Therefore, she kept her eyes tightly shut. The moment she had completely turned around, his tongue draw out the outlines of her lipe. Her mouth opened automatically to let him inside. She could already feel the moist warmth of his flexible muscle when…_

…_it vanished!_

_Sakura's eyes snapped open._

It was dark.

_Kakashi was gone._

Pitch-black.

_She was crying._

All light sucked out of her dream.

_Pain soured through her being._

Surrounded by shadows.

_Her body disappearing within their embrace._

It was cold.

_She couldn't move._

The concept of time gone.

_She couldn't speak._

No hope, nowhere.

_She couldn't breath._

Lifeless.

_Her heart screamed._

_"Ahhhhhhh!"_

(End of Dream)

Sakura woke up with a start. A scream. She had managed to scream, she had heard it's echo when she woke. Cold. She felt cold. There was warmth against her back, she crawled backwards to snuggle into it. She was panting, desperate to get air into her lungs again. Her burning lungs that had refused to work mere seconds ago, yet it seemed like an eternity since she had last taken a breath.

She had to learn again.

She felt the air against her moist cheeks when Naruto flew into the tent, blue eyes blazing with concern. He was followed immeditely by Sasuke, and Sai, who had prefered to sleep in a tree. S usual his expression didn't give away anything, neither did his posture, but his eyes. His eyes had become more expressive since he had bounded with Team Kakashi. It was there, slight, almost impossible to notice, but there it was. Worry. He was worried for her. Last came Yamato, and the tent was crowded. His black eyes were filled with panic. Maybe he had thought that she'd been attacked?

'_Where's Kakashi?'_ the pink-haired girl wondered when no one entered anymore after the brown-haired ANBU.

Then she felt it.

The gentle brush of a hand atop her head.

He was there.

He was the warmth behind her.

The warmth she had snuggled into.

Sakura blushed.

Her fear, like an insuperable wall, crumbled.

He was there, he was close, she was safe.

"You alright, hag?" Sai spoke up in his monotone voice.

"…Hm…Yeah…yeah…" the pink-haired medic replied, not very convincingly.

Naruto was about to speak up, but Kakashi beat him to it.

"Break up camp, we're heading out. It's almost dawn anyway." His voice didn't leave any room for an argument. And even if it did, Yamato quickly ushered everyone out to do as they were told, chancing one last glance at the newly crying kunoichi, who turned to lean on his sempai's shoulder, before making his way outside as well. Kakashi wrapped his arms tenderly around the young woman, and let her soak his shirt. It didn't matter. She was scared, she needed him. That was the only thing that was important. His hands wandered up and down her back in soothing caresses as she clutched his shirt.

"I-I was s-so a-afr-afraid. I-it was-s as if-f e-every-th-thing w-was gone… forever," she whimpered.

"I'll always be there, Sakura. Never forget that," he whispered back, meaning to calm her, but she shook her head.

"I-it took-k you a-away, too. Th-this thing…i-in m-me…" she whined, "Am…Am I g-going to disappear?"

Confused, he didn't answer. He didn't understand what she meant. He needed to chose his words carefully.

"K-kakashi?"

"Sakura, do you trust me?"

"Yes!" she said without a moment's hesitation.

"Then believe me. You will get through this. We-" and he emphasized that word "- will get through this, together. Don't ever stop believing in yourself. I won't. No matter how long it takes, you will pull through. These… fits…will stop, I promise. You'll live without pain one day."

"Thank you," she murmured, before falling into unconsciusness.

It was exactly what she needed to hear, and he didn't regret saying it, but… he had made a promise, he might not be able to keep…

'_I'll just have to do my best to accomplish this task,' _he told himself solemnly.

**3333**

"Did you notice?"

"What?"

"She was wearing Kakashi-sama's shirt, dickless."

"Grr!…Well, he was there first, maybe he-"

"He was still wearing his shirt, though."

"What do you mean, teme?"

"Why was she wearing one of his shirts?"

"They did live together, maybe she used it as-"

Again, he was interrupted.

"When we lived with her, she wore her own pajamas."

"Plus, I saw Pakkun bring it over to her yesterday. He was there just now as well, dickless."

"Don't call me-"

"It was cold tonight. Sempai was probably just worried she would get a cold."

"… Still, it's suspiscious."

"…"

**End of chapter 15!**

**A/N: Okay, I hope you enjoyed it. As for the next chapter, I think there will be a little time skip. Not much, just a few days, so no worries.**


	16. Field Trip Contest

**_Kiss Me Goodnight_**

**KakaSaku**

**Warnings: swearing, lime (nothing too much, but I thought I should warn you)**

**A/N: I'm back from my vacation with a new chapter. I hope you like it.**

**Chapter 16: Field Trip Contest**

Hiking.

After travelling for another few days, and just having settled down, he wanted to go hiking. Or rather climbing. In the mountains. They had just gotten to Moon Country for kami's sake! The day after her last fit, their little group had run through the trees and meadows until they reached the port, where the ferry to Moon Country was waiting. This time there fortunately was no storm during their crossing, though it became officially known that Uchiha Sasuke got easily seasick these days. A day later they arrived at Moon Country's harbour, where they were greeted by the royal family of the tiny kingdom, and the circus they had met during their first encounter with Michiru and Hikaru. The king had made plans for them to accommodate them in the most luxorious chambers of his own palace. Everyone had been very happy at the idea of an own room and a comfy bed, but alas it wasn't to be. They hadn't even put their packs down on their respective beds properly, when their team leader summoned them outside already.

To go hiking.

Looking slightly uncomfortable, and showing it by scratching the back of his head, Kakashi was currently waiting for them to say something. Not that it was necessary. The five pair of eyes glaring daggers at him was more than enough of an answer, but he wasn't about to budge. He never did, so no sense in starting now. He had his mind set, and it would go his way, no doubt about it. That didn't mean his team would just say "yes and amen" to his idea.

"We'll split up in groups of two, and climb the mountain from three different sides till the top. No chakra to walk on the walls, only sweat and backache-" another set of glares from his comrades- "Who get's there first, wins a prize."

"Oh! Oh! What prize? Something really cool, ne?!?" Naruto shouted, excitedly.

"That's a surprise," Kakashi answered.

"Oho, that's so cool!" the No.1 hyperactive Ninja shouted again, fist pounding thin air once.

Everyone sweatdropped.

"So, who'll team up with who?" Kakashi cleared his throat.

"You'll come with me, teme, ne?"

"Hn."

"COO- Ouch! That hurt Sakura-chan."

"Keep the volume down, Naruto," the pink-haired medic growled.

The blonde pouted, but his puppy-dog-eyes didn't work on her anymore. With all the times, he'd used those on her, trying to get her to buy him Ramen, she was immune by now. Like everyone else out of their group of friends for that matter. Except maybe Hinata. So no longer infatuated with the Kyuubi container, she still held a soft spot for him, and- not to mention- was too nice for her own good!

"Anyway, me and teme are gonna win! No matter who we are up against."

Yamato and Sai exchanged a look, and nodded to each other.

"That leaves Sakura and me. Very well, now choose your side of the mountain, and proceed to climb. It's about a day's travel up until the top. Oh, by the way, Sakura and I will take the north slope."

Everyone stared at Kakashi's announcement with their mouths wide open- even Sakura. The north inclination was the most diffcult to climb. And the most dangerous. Even for experts in the department- which you could probably say they were, seeing as they were all elite shinobi, but still… Without the usage of their chakra it was twice as crazy to try and climb it. Yamato, the never-tiring voice of reason, was about to argue, but Kakashi had already grabbed the kunoichi's wrist, and disappeared into a cloud of smoke, before he could even utter a word. The remaining members of Team Kakashi looked at their temporary captain in mirrowed expressions of concern, but the brown-haired ANBU with the 'scary face' simply shrugged, as if to assure them everything would be allright. Nothing to worry about. Especially not for Sakura.

After all, she was with Kakashi.

333

"What the hell, Kakashi? What gave you this crazy idea?!?", Sakura whined half an hour later, as she was pressing herself to the jagged façade of the northern inclination. Wherever she looked, naked rock came into view, and a little bit of sky as a backround. She knew he liked challenges- just watch his recurring matches with his self-proclaimed 'Eternal Rival'- but this was ridiculous. No, this was madness! Not only had he chosen the most difficult slope to climb, no he had additionally added another obstacle by binding her left hand to her back.

Nothing against free-climbing, this was a bit much, though.

"You can complain all you want now, Sakura-chan, but later you'll thank me," came his cocky reply.

"Later when, Kakashi? When I fall a hundred feet down, and smash my bones on the ground? I doubt I'll thank you then."

Kakashi chuckled.

"Don't worry. You're perfectly safe. If you fall, I'll catch you."

"Jerk," she murmured, though she couldn't help but feel a little more relaxed after his words. She could always count on him, he had proven that time and again. He would never let her get hurt. She could trust him. He really would catch her.

"I heard that."

"You were meant to!" she yelled at him from above, but smiled against the rock infront of her face.

"Just go on."

And so she did. Pushing herself a little upwards, she let go, only to grip onto the wall again a second later, searching for support with her feet, and shoving herself higher when she couldn't find any. For a few seconds she was flying through the air, then her hand grabbed hold of a rock, and her feet touch solid ground again- well, more or less. She could feel said ground crumble underneath her. Her fingers slipped away from their hold. She had to do something and fast, or she would have to test whether or not Kakashi would really cath her. Frantically looking around, she found a ledge. If she could get there, she would be safe. Pulling herself upwards slowly, she was about to reach for the ledge when she could feel a body press against her back, and a shadow overcome her. Raising her gaze, she saw the outline of Kakashi's jaw. He smiled at her, and told her to hang on. Sakura nodded as the Copy Nin proceeded to flip himself onto the ledge with such ease, Sakura would've congratulated him for it, if she hadn't lost her balance that exact moment. Before she could fall, however, her knight in shining amor had already rolled over his body, and grabbed her hand tightly, raising her to meet him on the ledge.

She collapsed halfway on top of him.

"That was a close one," Kakashi commented.

"Yeah. See, I told you it was foolish."

"We made it, didn't we?"

"By the skin of my teeth!" Sakura grumbled.

He laughed.

"Okay, okay, no more extreme-free-climbing for you. I get it. Come on, I'll take that off," he told her, and motioned for the young kunoichi to turn her back towards him. With his only free hand, he untied her left, then turned around for her to do the same. Once done, Sakura stood up, about to continue on their little trip, but Kakashi stopped her. He pointed towards a split in the mountain, large enough for one person to walk in between. "Follow me."

"I don't know, Kakashi. What if we get stuck?"

"The others would come looking for us?" the Sharingan Warrior suggested.

"But they would never look there, I mean…"

Sighing, Kakashi bit into his thumb, and scribbled a few symbols onto the ground. They read Guys, we went through the split. Kakashi. Then he took her hand gently in his, promised she wouldn't regret it, and let her through the small passage. The almost-tunnel made a bend, and though he was still holding her hand, not seeing Kakashi made Sakura's mind fill with nervousness. She gripped his hand tighter, and prayed that he wouldn't let go. As if he read her thoughts, he squeezed her smaller hand in response. Leading her for endless minutes, Sakura was about to suggest they go back, as this 'road' didn't take them anywhere.

Then they reached the other end.

Bright light invaded her eyes, and she had to shut them for a second. When the pink-haired girl opened them again, the first thing she saw, was Kakashi with a smug look on his face- through the mask, obviously. Looking past him to see why he was so pleased with himself, her eyes grew wide. There was the meadow she had dreamed about, with that ocean of flowers, and the glassy lake. It was beautiful, yet in her dream this beauty had vanished into nothingness. Would this happen here as well? In the real world? Was her dream about to become a fearful reality?

"Sakura, what's wrong?" Kakashi asked, concerned.

She looked up at him. The smug expression was gone, replaced by one of worry. He had thought she would like to see a place like this, and it was so sweet of him to take all this upon himself to make her smile, to make her happy. She couldn't ruin that because of her childish fears, so she smiled at him. It looked quite forced, she was sure, and he noticed by the raised-eyebrow-stare he gave her, but she shrugged it away, and hugged him tight. Surprised, Kakashi almost tripped over. He was able to catch himself in the last second. Returning the favor, he slid his arms around her slim frame, and pressed her closer to himself.

**333333333333333333**

"HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?!?"

None of the other occupants of the office responded, while the whole Hokage Tower shook under Tsunade's wrath, her fist slammed onto her wooden table, which in turn cracked. The Lady Hokage was furious with them, and was demanding an answer they just couldn't give. Well, technically they could, but they just didn't know how it was possible. So, they remained silent.

"Well?!?"

"…"

"Answer me, or I swear you'll wish that your parents never met!" the blonde woman growled at them like an angry tiger.

"He used a Substitution Jutsu," Ibiki finally answered.

"YES, I KNOW! IREAD THE DAMN REPORT! WHAT I WANT TO KNOW IS, HOW!!!"

"By molding chakra-"

"Don't get cocky with me, gentlemen or you'll find yourselves to be the first ever heard-of dismembered genin!"

Everyone gulped, stepping back, and lowering their hands to protect their good.

Not that it would help them, if the honey-eyed woman really wanted to make good on her threat.

"What I mean is: In a room full of ANBU, how could this happen?"

"…We didn't expect him to be able to do that. He's listed in the city's records as a civilian with no military training. I can't understand how this escaped my intelligence," Ibiki defended them weakly. By the look on his face, he was telling the truth. The poor man seemed to be completely lost, as if he had forgotten where right and left were.

"…I'm really happy Sakura isn't here right now. She's safe," The Hokage said nothing else.

"He was apparently very careful about not letting anyone in, Hokage-sama," Genma chimed in, now that it seemed that Tsunade wouldn't punch everyone through several walls that made even just a 'piep'. "He kept it a secret, even under those circumstances. He went through all that torture, until Team Kakashi was done with him, and even then he held back, until…"

"Until what, Shiranui?"

A panicked look crossed the present men's face, and their protective grip on their lower regions.

"UntilhegottoknowwhereSakurawasatthemoment," the senbon-weilding shinobi whispered in a breath. Closing his eyes, he waited for the impact, because surely Tsunade-hime would sent him straight through the Hokage Monument with her right hook, but all he heard was a door being slammed shut, and loud shouts in the hallway, as well as a very much growled "Dismissed."

On her way to the bird house, she screamed, and yelled, and cursed so loud, the Kazekage was probably wondering why his office trembled under her fury. The members of the Council that had waited infront of her door, in order to speak to her about something or other, made immediately room for her when they saw her face, and decided it was better to come back at another moment. A very wise decision, as Tsunade demolished everything that stood in her way, which led to a very scared Kotestsu to have to carry his friend Izumo to the hospital, and then take both their stacks of paper to Shizune. Tsunade didn't care very much, she just kept on marching to the bird house, grasping the first falcon that started to shriek uncontrollably at her vice-like grip, and sent him off with a letter that contained only three words- well, fur, if you counted her name.

_Haruno escaped. Danger_

_Tsunade_

**33333333333333**

Kakashi was splashed square in the face.

Laughing, Sakura hastily retreated from the silver-haired man, while he chased after her. The girl with her bubble-gum hair was so distracted by her amusement that the Copy Nin easily caught up with her. Gripping her arms, he playfully yanked her back until her back brushed against his chest. She was wearing a jade-green bikini that matched her eyes perfectly, and left little to imagination. Her moist skin rubbed against his once more when her arms came up to slide around his neck, and burry her hands into his silver locks. He could feel tingles all over his body, and by the goosebumps on her skin it was safe to assume that she didn't feel much different. The young medic leaned her head back onto his shoulder, once he started nipping at her neck. A soft humm went through her throat, and he could feel the sound through his lips on her pulse. They stayed there only for a moment, though, before moving onward to her shoulder. Shifting her away from him a little, he heard her whimper at the loss, but it soon changed into a harty moan when he started kissing along the rim of her bikini top. Sakura lifted one feet in order to rub his calf. She could feel Kakashi shudder at that, before his tongue darted out to lick at the soft skin over her spinal column until he reached her neck, where he latched onto her, creating a rosy mark.

She shivered, and not only from his ministrations.

He seemed to sense this, too, because he quickly lifted her up, and carried her to the shore. Once there, he gently laid her down into the grass, lowering himself to her side as he resumed kissing her. Though not wearing his mask, she still didn't get to see his face properly dure to the position of the sun. A frustrated huff escaped her, and she could hear and feel him chuckle as he followed the lead of her breastbone down into the valley between her breasts. Her breath hitched when he planted a soft, loving kiss between the two triangular scrapes of cloth that covered her bosom, and she knew that she wouldn't have remembered his face now even if she had seen it.

"Ka…kashi…" she breathed.

"Hmm, yes?" his baritone voice answered.

Her hands went around his back, and her nails digged into his flesh as if she was trying to keep him with her at all costs.

"You're going to stay… with me…here? You're…not going to… disappear…"

The silver-haired jounin looked up at her, confused, then remembered what she told him about her dream. He smiled, and kissed her chin, then brushed his cheek against hers. Rolling them over, he held her to himself as she settled on his stomach, one leg to either side of him, her breasts flat against his chest, her hands still gripping his shoulders possessively, and her head over his heart, listening to it's fastened beat like it was her favorite music. Dropping his gaze, he noticed that she had fallen asleep, so he chuckled, replaced his mask, and covered the both of them with one of his bug towels.

"I'll always be there for you, Sakura-chan, always. Don't ever forget or doubt that."

**3333333333333333**

He would find that slut, and make her pay. He would drag her back infront of the Hokage, and have her confess that she was screwing her sensei, and that she deserved the punishment he gave her. That little whore that tainted his good name, destroyed his immaculate reputation with her webb of lies and schemes, and her bastard of a sensei aka fuck-buddy. He would show them, they wouldn't get away with this treachery. He would get them, and when that time would come, he would punish her again. He would have that dirty bitch right infront of his eyes, he would make her suffer over and over again, until she cried bloody tears, begging for his forgiveness.

**End of 16 th chapter!**

**A/N: There, done. I know it's short, but well… I have my reasons! ;) I'm not sure when I'll be able to update again as I'm writing on an important homework, but I'll post the next chapter as soon as I can.**

**IMPORTANT: There should be a POLL about this story on my profile page. Please take a look, and vote (if you feel like it)**


	17. An Eventful Day

**_Kiss Me Goodnight_**

**KakaSaku**

**Chapter 17: An Eventful Day**

Sakura woke up to a fluttery feeling in her middle section. Furrowing, she wondered what it could be that was making her feel this way. Were it the butterflies in her stomach? Were they on a rampage? She almost giggled at the silly thought, or was it because of the feeling? She couldn't deny that she'd felt different ever since this 'thing' between her and Kakashi started. She reckognized that she wanted him, desired him whenever he was showering her with kisses, or gently massaging her feets like that evening on the ship. She knew, though that that wasn't everything there was to the emotions that filled her heart with the well-known soft glow when her silver-haired team leader was near her, and even when he was not.

One gaze.

One wink.

One smile.

That was all her heart needed to miss a beat, to make her breath hitch, and have her forget her own name.

She hadn't needed to wonder what that meant for long. She had already known a similar feeling, when she had her first crush. Sasuke. When she had thought about the boy of her dreams, her pulse had rushed, but that was nothing compared to what happened to her when she thought of Kakashi. The mere thought of him made her blush all over, leaving her with a yearning for his closeness, his voice saying something, anything- even if it was something perverted.

He may be a pervert, but he was her pervert.

And she loved him for it.

'_When did this happen?'_ she wondered.

_**'I'd say about two years ago, shortly before you ran!' her Inner replied.**_

'_How long do you intend on blaming me for that?'_

_**'For the rest of your life, someone has to beat a little reason into your head, after all. This could've ended way sooner. You could've enjoyed Kakashi's closeness way sooner, and for that, I'll never forgive you.'**_

'_Jeez, thanks.'_

_**'You're welcome.'**_

'_Oh, shut up!'_

'_**Let me think about that… No!'**_

'_Ugh! Why can't you leave me alone?!?' _

_**'Because you could be having the time of your life, and are actually sleeping through it! That's why!'**_

'_Huh?'_

Waking up with a start, she couldn't even catch a breath, before she fell into a fit of helpless giggles. Looking down her body, she found that the fluttery feeling at her middle section had been Kakashi tickling her stomach with butterfly kisses. He was currently attending to her belly button, while his hands were holding onto her hips. His messy silver hair was obscuring the view on most of his face. However, and Sakura could've jumped up to perform a victory dance for this, she could make out apart of a pale cheek and his strong jawline. She narrowed her eyes, trying to see more clearly, and suddenly found something rosy between Kakashi and her. Jumping out of her skin when there was a moist feeling on her skin, she realized that he had replaced the soft kisses with not so innocent caresses of his tongue.

"Kakashi!" she shrieked.

"Ah, Sakura-chan," he breathed against her wet skin, and she shivered. "Took you long enough. I was beginning to fear, you'd be in coma, since you weren't responding at first."

"Ha, ha, very funny Hatake-san." She smiled sweetly.

"Ouch!"

"Serves you right. Hmpf!", she grunted, moving her her head to the side, and crossing her arms over her chest with a defiant expression. The silver-haired man chuckled, taking one of her wrist in his hand, and moving it towards him until he could kiss the palm of her hand. Sakura's eyes immediately snapped to attention. She could see the straight bridge of his nose, and then…her hand.

'_Damn!'_ she swore under her breath.

She could feel him smirking against her hand, and tried to remove it to see him in his naked glory- well, his face in it's naked glory, but still. The pink-haired medic blushed a shade of red a cherry would be most envious of at the thought that had just flashed her mind. She felt his smirk widen a little as he caught on where her train of thought was going. Another chuckle filled the silence, her former struggles to get her hand back all but forgotten. Instead, she decided to humor him, closing her eyes. She tried to move her hand again, and found that he let her, though keeping his own hand over hers just in case. Smiling to herself, she started to roam his face with her sensitive fingers sliding over his scar first. Then, she let her index finger run along the side of his cheek, and down his defined jawline. She could feel the softest of stubble. Obviously, he hadn't been able to shave since they got down from the ship yesterday. Tracing his chin, and up his other cheek, over his eyebrow, and down the bridge of his nose, until she reached his lips. She knew them well. She had felt them against her skin countless of times, and even closed over own already, but that had been in moments of love or passion or both, and she had never payed much attention to their shape. They weren't small, or big like Team Seven had once guessed, and there were no buckteeth. They were just normal lips, soft, and warm, and curved upward in what she reckognized as his trademark eye-crinkling smile.

"Satisfied?" Kakashi's smooth, baritone voice asked mockingly.

"You loo… feel good."

"Thank you." He chuckled.

She continued tracing the outline of his lips while he spoke, her heartbeat accelerating when his breath met her finger, then stopping all together when his tongue darted out to lick it carefully. Her hand was taken into his, as he softly kissed the tip of her index finger, then her middle finger, and so on, giving each finger a gentle suckling, and a lick before proceeding with the next. Her breath hitched, and she bit her lip. The fact that she couldn't see what he was going to do next, had her worried, and excited all in once. The desire to just open her eyes, and look at him, really look at him for the first time, was almost unbearable, but she denied herself that simple pleasure.

She would respect his wishes.

He trusted her, and she would not used that trust against him.

His hand enclosed her wrist again, a little stronger than before, and she was soon pulled into his sculptured chest, his lips searching hers eagerly. His tongue danced across her lips, asking for permission to explore her. A little hesitant at first, Sakura opened her lips just slightly, so that he could dip the tip into her warm cavern. He did, not wanting to rush things with his fragile flower. Once Sakura noticed that it didn't feel weird, or unwelcomed, or anything like that, she opened herself a little wider to him. Kakashi gratefully took the invitation, and swiped his tongue over hers.

She timidly responded in kind.

The silver-haired jounin hummed as she started to move against him, patiently showing her how it was done. Growing bolder with time, the young woman soon pushed him back into his own orifice, slipping in to explore a bit herself. He let her, making do with the possibility to intently massage her innocent tongue. He quickly lifted her into his lap to make their interaction more comfortable, and stood up, holding onto her thighs to support her. Automatically, her toned legs wrapped around his middle.

**3333333333333333**

"Come on, dobe. You're almost there."

Helping his best friend and greatest rival up the last few meters, their team made it to the top of the mountain. Once there, the blonde hyperactive ninja jumped up and down in joy, pumping his fist into the air.

"YEAH! We're the champions, we-"

"Not really, dobe."

"Huh? What do you mean, teme?" Naruto asked.

Sasuke just pointed behind him.

Turning around, Naruto saw Yamato and Sai comfortably sitting against a rock, a blanket spread underneath them, and tea boiling over a campfire.

"Took you two long enough. We've been waiting for at least half an hour, dickless, bastard."

"What?!? But… we were supposed to… and then you… so not fair…" the blonde whined incoherently.

"Some you win, and some you lose," Yamato wise-cracked. "One can't always win. You just have to live with it."

Naruto pouted, and silence ensued for a moment. Then…

"Wait a moment… WHAT DID YOU CALL ME, SAI ?!?"

"You just now realized that? Man, you really are lame, dobe," Sasuke said, knowing that Naruto didn't hear a word as he was too preoccupied to continue his rant, and start a fight with the young Root Agent. Shaking his head, the last Uchiha said down at the improvised campfire, taking a cup of tea from their team leader's 2IC. The brown-haired ANBU was carefully watching the arguing youth, while taking a sip of his tea now and then. Sasuke just looked into the fire, thinking about the whole mess they were in. Not that he minded a vacation, he would be the first to admit, albeit silently, that they really needed one, but the reason behind why they finally got it, was just a tad too much even for the cold-hearted Uchiha.

'_Sakura didn't deserve this,'_ Sasuke thought. _'She's been through enough already. If I hadn't left…'_

"Don't," Yamato said.

"Hn?"

"Don't do that. Don't ask about the 'what if's'. Nothing good will come from it. What's done is done, we can't change the past. But there is always something like a future. If you think you've done something wrong in the past, make sure you don't make the same mistake again, and do your best to make up for it. We can not erase what has happened to Sakura-chan, but we can try, and help her move on with her life. What happened to her is horrible, but we can't help it anymore. Now, we ought to make sure it never happens again. We should think about how to make her happy again, instead of mulling over things we have no influence on."

"You're right," they heard Naruto agree.

Apparently, Sai and him had stopped their fight when they heard Yamato say Sakura's name.

"We'll make her the happiest woman alive, dobe. I promise to give it my all, because that is…my Ninja-way."

A collective sigh could be heard.

"Naruto."

"Dobe."

"Dickless."

A little disgruntled at that reaction, the blonde soon found back to his cheeky grin when he saw their smiling faces.

**333333333333333**

"Oh, please dear kami, let her be safe!" Tsunade prayed silently. "She can not undergo all of that again. She doesn't deserve this… If you bring her back to me safe and sound, I promise I will never touch a droplet of sake in my life again. Just, please, let them find him, before he can do something to hurt her again."

She's safe, Tsunade," Shizune tried to console her friend.

"How can you say that?!?" Tsunade barked miserably. "With a specimen of the worst kind of criminal on the loose, his head filled with thoughts of revenge, pain, and blood, how can you say that?!? She could be cornered by him at this very moment for all we know!"

"First off, it needs more than a day to travel to the Moon Country. Secondly, you sent a messenger hawk to them that will warn them about Haruno-san. Thirdly, you sent a whole ANBU Team out to catch him before he makes it to the ship. And last, but not least, she's with Team Kakashi, one of Konoha's most powerful teams. The last Uchiha, the Kyuubi vessel, the heir to the First's abilities, the artist, and not to mention the Copy Nin himself, and they'd all protect her with their lifes. Even if he can get to Moon, and even if he knows a bit about Jutsu, and Chakra, he can't go up against them all, and as soon as they read your message, they'll not allow her to leave their sight for even a second. I'm sure, Sai will have some of his ink-animals with her even when she's showering!"

"I certainly hope you're right, Shizune," the Hokage said, a little bit calmer.

Before Shizune could answer, the door burst open.

"Hokage-sama!" Izumo almost fell through the door frame, as he tried to get into her office so hastily. "Hokage-sama, this was found a few miles from the village by some farmers. They said, they had hung their clothes to dry, and when the farmer's wife came to get them, they were gone."

He handed the Hokage a pair of blood-stained boxers. The very same pair Haruno had been wearing while being tortured.

"Damn!" Tsunade gritted her teeth. "Are the farmers here now?"

Izumo nodded carefully.

"Good. Send them into my office. I want to question them personally. Shizune!"

"Yes?", the brown-haired woman answered, while Izumo flew out the door.

"Get me Ibiki here. I want him to listen carefully to what they say, and write down a decription of the stolen clothes, which is to be distributed to all ANBU, and Jounin. Furthermore, I want a messenger hawk with the description to be sent after the ANBU Squad I sent looking for Haruno. He must not escape!"

"Hai!" The Hokage's assistant poofed away.

Tsunade took a sip of her tea (she had wanted to be clear-headed for when news of Sakura came in), grim expression on her face.

**3333333333333**

"Where the hell are Kakashi-sensei and Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked. "It's already evening again, and didn't he say himself that it was about a one and a half days hourney. They should be here by now, shouldn't they?"

"Dobe."

"This is Kakashi-sempai we're talking about, Naruto." Yamato chuckled. "He's probably just late, as usual."

"Yeah, dickless, chill."

"DON'T CALL ME THAT, SAI-BASTARD!… But, he has Sakura with him. Shouldn't he be less late, then?"

"Or… he affected Sakura, and they're both chilling somewhere instead of climbing up the mountain."

"Don't be silly, teme. Sakura-chan would never do that to us."

"You sure, dickless… The thing with the sihrt was suspicious."

"Shirt? What shirt?" the blonde inquired, confused.

A collective groan.

"The one Sakura was wearing the other night. In the tent."

"Oh, that shirt."

"Jeez, Naruto, you sure are forgetful." Yamato smiled at him, and the Kyuubi vessel didn't know whether he had been insulted or not.

"She was wearing Kakashi-sensei's shirt, so what?… It was chilly that night. Maybe not for Sai, but he doesn't feel anything, so…" Naruto added in an afterthought, when he remembered that the ink-user had slept outside.

"Naruto," Yamato admonished.

"What?!?… Oh, fine. I'm sorry, Sai-bastard, I didn't mean to be mean." He gave the brown-haired ANBU a look that said 'Satisfied?'

The wood-user just shook his head. Certain things would just never change. He sure hoped, Kakashi-sempai would come to his rescue soon, or he wouldn't be able to guarantee for the children's safety. They had the habit of annoying him quite a bit, when they were brought together, even though alone he managed to get along nicely with each of them. Sending a silent prayer up to kami-sama, he got back to tending to the fire, announcing that they would camp here tonight, and continue to wait for their other two teammates.

"If they don't show up until morning, we'll go looking for them."

**333333333333**

_(During the ANBU's conversation)_

Kakashi continued to kiss Sakura senseless, as he stealthily moved a little. Since she didn't react in the least, he concluded that she hadn't noticed. Kissing still, he inched closer to his target, though he had to stop once in a while, because her tongue's movements in his mouths or the soft caress of her hands against his back sent shivers down his spine. Fighting her bold ministrations back into her own cavern, he proceeded to engage with her in a battle for dominiance, distracting her from his motions.

Just another step and…

SPLASH!

"Aaaah!" the young medic shrieked when she was dropped into the cool water of the lake. Coming back up, she found that his mask had been replaced, but she could still see his cheeky smile. "You!"

"Me?"

"That was so mean!"

"I thought you might need to cool down a little," he replied, and it wasn't a lie. He had been able to sense a raise in temperature in her body.

Sakura blushed, thinking about the desire she had felt again.

"Come join me!" she suddenly suggested.

He was about to give some witty remark, when he had to sneeze.

"Someone's talking about me, it seems."

"Serves you ri-ii-I-chi!"

"Now they're talking about you." Kakashi laughed, but got into the water to pick her up again, and plant a gentle kiss against her temple.

"Or maybe, we've just been out in the cold clad in nothing but swim wear for too long," Sakura rationalized.

"I like your swim wear," Kakashi said, off-handedly.

"Pervert," Sakura grumbled.

**333333333333333**

'_I'm getting closer'_, he thought. _'I'm coming for you, bitch!'_

With that thought playing in his head over and over again, he stepped onto the ship.

**End of chapter 17!**

**A/N: Well, that was sooner than I thought, but that's just because there's a storm outside that 'forces' me to stay inside. I wanted to go to the library today, but seeing as I couldn't I thought about taking the time to write this chapter. I hope you enjoyed it. Plsease don't forget to review! ;)**

**The Poll is still open by the way.**


	18. Gifts and Curses

**_Kiss Me Goodnight_**

**KakaSaku**

**Warning: uhm, Kakashi shortly having dirty thoughts (very shortly, wasn't even sure if I should put it in here), and bad thoughts from Sai**

**Chapter 18: Gifts and Curses**

Kakashi awoke to the feeling of something poking his cheek through the mask. His eyes still closed, he tried to find out what was disturbing him in his slumber, but couldn't quite recognize it. He knew that he knew it somehow, but just couldn't seem to place it. Whatever it was, was soft, and yielding, yet somehow rough like the pad of a finger. But it couldn't be Sakura; he could feel her hands on his chest, just beside her head. The young woman was still sleeping, so what was waking him up?

Maybe he was imagening things?

Just as he was about to turn his face the other way, and continue on in his wonderful dream, where he had been holding Sakura much like right now, just… uhm… different- hey, he was still a guy after all!- the soft, yielding, yet rough thing turned into something hard, cold, and pointy, and scratched over his arm, before going back to poking his cheek. Strange enough, when he concentrated, he could feel something on his left arm and shoulder, though Sakura's head was on his right side. Not sure, what he had to deal with, he let his hand inch closer to his always near-by kunai pouch, grabbing hold of the first weapon that he could feel under his fingers.

A senbon.

Cracking an eye open, ready to attack, he found that it wasn't necessary. Sitting on his arm and shoulder, looming over his face, and poking his cheek with one paw, was Chihiro. Recognizing the black furball, Kakashi sighed in exasperation. When he had not seen Chihiro for their entire journey, though he was sure, she was in some pocket of Sakura's, he had gotten his hopes up that the little hellcat had gotten enough of human beings, and fled into the wilderness again. Now, however, he realized his mistake, as he saw Chihiro drop beside his face what she had had in her mouth when she woke him. He inclined his head a little to see that it was a dead bird.

Poor thing. Pretty one, too.

"It means that they really like you when they bring you gifts like that," a soft murmur could be heard from his other side.

Apparently, Sakura had awoken.

"I thought you were sleeping."

"Not since Chihiro brought me a mouse," the pink-haired girl answered, dangling the dead animal infront of his face for emphasis. She didn't seem afraid of it at all like he would've imagined. It was white, too.

"Well, I never asked for her to like me, or bring me gifts," Kakashi replied, wisely keeping his thoughts about the young woman, and the mouse to himself.

Sakura slapped his chest.

"Be grateful."

"Why would I?"

"She allows you to kiss me, nowadays," Sakura replied, and pressed her lips to his jawline. "See?"

"She couldn't have stopped me, anyway," Kakashi retorted, defiantly.

"But she could've made it so much more difficult," the medic argued, kissing a little higher, and blushing furiously as she was the one initiating it this time. She had somehow managed to scratch together what little courage there was in her being to do so, and it was costing her everything to just look at him. Any on-looker would probably think that she had been in the sun for too long.

"So?"

"So what?"

"What should I do? Go looking for a bone or something?"

"That would be an idea, if Chihro were a dog, Kakashi." Sakura giggled. "For a start, try to pet her head, and scratch her behind her ear. She likes that. A lot."

Grumbling, the Copy Nin did as he was told, grabbing the tiny kitten with one hand, and beginning to caress it with the other. The little thing rolled itself to a small ball on his hand, then rolled over on her back to present him with her stomach. Chancing a curious glance at Sakura, who urged him on, the silver-haired male started to gently scratch over Chihiro's belly. Yellow eyes almost closed, purring loudly, the young cat responed by clawing at his fingers, just without the claws. Only her soft, yet rough pads of her paws playing with his hand. Then her mouth came in, biting down on his skin, careful not to hurt him. It only tickled him a little, and he found it to be actually quite endearing.

"We should get going. They're going to look for us, if we don't get to the mountain top soon," he announced, still playing with the cat as he and Sakura parted ways for a few minutes to get dressed. The furball 'meow-ed' amiably.

Sighing, he knew that this was the beginning of a very weird friendship.

**333333333333333**

"WHERE WERE YOU?!"

The angry voice of the blonde kyuubi-vessel went on, whining, complaining, cursing in a never-ending rant as he walked up and down infront of his two very sheepishly smiling teammates, apologetic looks in place. The taller one had his arm raised, and his hand rubbing the back of his had, while he was being yelled at. The smaller one was sticking out her tongue, and scratching her cheek, an almost amused smile on her lips, when their co-leader tried to placate the young man. Meanwhile, the rest of Team Kakashi just looked at the scene, bored, yet somehow relived that the two of them finally got to the meeting point. True to their word, they had waited throughout the night, and even long into the morning. The sun above Moon Country was now burning holes into their head, since there was no tree to grant them any shadow up here.

"I think that's enough. They got the point, I'm sure," Yamato put an end to the furious shouting.

"But Yamato-sempai, they made us worry so much!" Naruto complained.

"Tch, dobe. You were the only one worried here," the Uchiha chimed in.

"What did you call me, teme?"

"Dobe."

"Argh! Teme, you-"

Shaking his head in aggravation, the wood-user turned to his team leader, and medic. The two jonin still hadn't moved, unsure of whether or not it was really over. Turning towards their brown-haired comrade, they were obviously expecting the next rant to their faces. Smirking a little, Yamato just scoffed at them, instead. Kakashi's eye crinkled in what was supposed to be an 'I'm-so-sorry-it's-never-going-to-happen-again-look. Yamato just raised an eyebrow, conveying that he would believe that when he saw it.

"How about we get back into town, and spend the rest of the day at the royal pool," he suggested tiredly.

"You're such a teme, teme, and when I'm Hokage you'll-… Huh? Uhm, what?…Oh, yeah, sure. Sounds cool."

"Tch, dobe."

"What did you call me, teme?"

"Dobe."

"Argh! Teme, you-"

At this point, Yamato, Sakura, Kakashi, and even Sai raised a hand to their respective faces in despair.

"This is going to go on for the whole day, isn't it?" the pink-haired woman asked fearfully.

"Yep," came the response of her three male companions that weren't too busy tearing at each other's hair like bickering infants.

Sakura groaned, turned towards the abyss, and made the first jump. Kakashi quickly followed while the other two did their best to get Naruto and Sasuke away from each other. Sakura stopped on a ledge to wait for her comrades, and was surprised that only the Copy Nin had followed so far. She could've sworn that Sai and Yamato were just gonna leave the last Uchiha and the Kyuubi-container to their childish argument. When Kakashi landed only centimetres from her, though there was more then enough space on the ledge, Sakura knew something was off. Taking a glance upwards to see if anyone was coming, he stepped even closer to her, so that his vest brushed against her shirt, his body heat invading her skin beneath it, and her back against the rocks.

"Kakashi, what are you-"

She never finished that sentence, as the words caught in her throat when her leaned in to breath against the shells of her ear. Gently nibbling on it for a moment, he leaned his masked lips against it in the next, in order to whisper into her ear. When he did so, his voice was low, and husky, reminding her of all the things they had done, and leading her to imagine all the things they could still do.

"I'd rather have you make that sound only- figuratively speaking, of course- underneath my sheets, Sakura-chan."

"Wha- what s-sound?" she squeaked.

He sucked on the sensitive spot just below her ear.

Sakura groaned.

"That one," he said, giving her ear-lobe one last, tantalizing bite.

Sakura whined when he stepped back.

"That as well."

Sakura blushed.

"We can go now," came Sai's voice from above. "They've calmed down."

The ink-user landed silently on the ledge, Kakashi and Sakura were standing on, though now as far away from each other as possible. He frowned when he saw the last remains of their medic's hot blush, and the way Kakashi looked somewhat pleased with himself. Something had obviously happened, before he had gotten to the scene. What was it? Had something transpired between them? Something…kinky? He turned fully to his team leader, an aggressive scowl on his face. He may not show it much, but the old hag was like a sister to him, and if the perv had done anything to her, he would personally dismember him, and feed the cut-off pieces to some straying dogs!

Sakura watched Sai's facial expression, or what little he let out of them, and caught up immediately with his conclusion. He was getting a little to close to the truth, and once he understood completely… who kne what he'd do to Kakashi? Not to mention, what her shishou would do to the silver-haired man. She had to do something about it, something to get Sai off their trail…

An idea came to him, and she smirked inwardly.

"You hentai! You don't just go around telling innocent girls such jokes! Pervert!" she screached as if she had just understood, what he had told her. Sai looked at her, surprised, and so did the rest of Team Kakashi that had finally caught up with them. Kakashi, understanding immediately what she was doing, just rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, and murmured something incomprehensible.

"Pardon me?" Sakura huffed.

"I said that I was just trying to make you laugh… lightening the mood, you know… Who could've known that you're so up-tight," the Sharingan Warrior replied, smirking as he knew that Sakura hated it, when he turned her own words against her. Unfortunately, his 'confession' led to two very angry youths that wanted nothing more that to claw at his throat for corrupting their innocent 'sister'.

'_Live can never be easy, right?'_ Kakashi thought as he fled down the mountain from his other two former students, feeling the additional weight of a purring furball in his pocket.

3333333333333333

The moment they sat foot into the royal palace, all hell broke loose. The first advisor of his majesty, had obviously been waiting for them as they could already see him shifting his weight from one feet to the other from afar. Now he was leading Kakashi, and Yamato to a tiny salon where Michiru, and his son Hikaru were already waiting for them. The mirrored expressions of worry on their faces did nothing to soothe the nerves of their guests.

Had another attempt on Michiru's life ensued?

Was there some international crises?

Did Tsunade cancell their vacation after the first day- not counting the travel?

"Is something the matter, Michiru-dono?"

"I, well…it's…just read this," the king replied, handing them a scroll. "It came this morning."

Confused, Kakashi took the green envelop, and took out the scroll to read it. In the middle of doing so, his hands began to shake. Yamato, concerned for his team leader risked a look of said man's shoulder, finding immediately what was irritating the silver-haired jounin so much. A scowl came onto his features as well, his hands clenching themselves to fists. This was not good. This shouldn't have happened, but it had. How? Who knew, but they needed to act now, and fast.

"What do we tell Sakura, taichou?"

"Nothing."

"Taichou?"

"Tsunade sent her here, so she could enjoy herself, and learn to move on with her life. If we tell her, she'll not be able to have fun during this vacation, chancing worried glances over her shoulder the entire time. We can't tell her. It would ruin the vacation for her. We will, however, tell the others. They need to keep their eyes open all the time, and I want Sai to have his ink-animals search the area. If he could escape under ANBU surveillance, who knows where he could be now. He could already be here for all we know. We'll take shifts during the nights, and scout the surroundings. If so much as a fly sneaks into her quarters, I want to know."

"Yes, taichou."

"I will tighten the –"

"Please, Michiru-dono, don't. I know you want to help, but if Sakura sees more guards, she'll get suspicious, and start to ask questions. I know her, and I know she'll not stop before she's gotten satisfying answers. Which would just beat the purpose of not telling her."

"But let me at least double the guards at night. She won't notice, if she's asleep," Hikaru spoke up for the first time, obviously worried for his friend's safety.

"…Okay, we can use every help we can get, but if your guards notice something off, they'll come tell us."

"Of course," Michiru answered. "Hikaru-kun will personally see to it, right?"

"Yes, too-san."

Hikaru hurried off in an instant.

"Sempai?" Yamato addressed Kakashi, and the Copy Nin wished he'd finally decide for one way to do so, instead of changing constantly.

"Hm."

"Sakura should not be left alone at any time. Especially during the night as it would be the perfect time for him to make his move."

"And what do you suggest?" Kakashi asked, a brow raised curiously.

"Someone should share a room with her."

"And how are we going to explain that?"

"…She still has nightmares, right? Maybe, she won't be so opposed," Yamato explained.

"Hm."

**3333333333333333**

"And why does it have to be Sensei?" the blonde argued. "He's an old pervert, who knows what he's going to do to her."

"Could you even for a moment believe that he'd take advantage of Sakura?" the brown-haired man asked accusingly.

"…no," the blonde replied with a guilt-ridden look in his blue eyes. "But still… he was our sensei. One of us could-"

"No, dobe," the third spoke up. "As much as I hate to admit it, he's the logical choice. Think about it. It's like Tsunade said: She trusted him enough to rely on him."

"But she could rely on us, too!"

"But she chose not to… I think… I think, she may think that he's the only one that would not think any less of her…"

"That ridiculous, she-"

"I left her on that bridge, dobe, calling her weak. Ink-boy calls her an 'old hag' all the time, she doesn't know Yamato all that well, and you would've probably not been able to control your anger. You would've asked her, why she didn't do anything, and urged her to take action…She chose him, and rightly so."

"…" At this, the Kyuubi-container was silent, turning to watch their only female teammate splash their sensei for fun, and then flee from him chasing her through the pool, but inevitably ending in his grasp as he held her under the surface of the water for a few seconds as his revenge.

"Plus, we might actually find out what's going on between the two of them, dickless."

**End of chapter 18!**

**A/N: Uh oh, Team Kakashi is plotting against the two lovers? What to do, what to do?**

**Three's the charm, so the Poll is still open, until I post the next chapter.**


	19. No more running and hiding

**_Kiss Me Goodnight_**

**KakaSaku**

**Warning: mild lime**

**Chapter 19: No more running, and hiding**

"Do you really believe that something is going on? Between those two, I mean?" Naruto asked the others over the dinner table. Sakura was currently being entertained by Hikaru-kun's stories about his adventures with Kiki, and Kakashi…

Well, Kakashi was late as usual.

"Naruto, first she was found in bed with him in Suna-"

"She had nightmares, and they were fully clothed," the wnna-be Hokage piped in.

Sasuke ignored the comment, and continued.

"Then she was wearing Kakashi's shirt-"

"It was cold that night!" the blonde reminded.

Sasuke ignored him again.

"And now they were gone for almost two days, alone, not to mention that thing on the ledge-"

"Probably just Sensei being late again, you said so yourself. And he was just telling her a dirty joke. He does that with us all the time."

Sasuke's eyebrow twitched.

"It still is suspicious, dickless. Besides, who tells us that Sakura was telling the truth on that ledge. If they're in this together…"

"But-" This time, Naruto was interrupted by his best friend.

"Not to mention that we don't know- and probably never will know- what happened during that hiking trip."

"Then why are we letting them sleep in the same room?" the blonde asked.

"Because it's best for Sakura," Yamato told them. "Now, back to business. Have your ink-animals found anything suspicious, Sai?"

"No, nothing."

Yamato let his gaze travel to Sasuke.

"I couldn't detect anything with my sharingan either."

"Naruto?"

"I've probably searched the whole island with Hikaru- don't look at me like that, he insisted to come- but nothing. Not even a shadow of Sakura's dad."

"The guards haven't reported anything either," Yamato said, concerned.

"Isn't that a good thing?" Naruto asked. "That means he isn't near, right?"

"Yes," the bornw-haired man answered, not convinced. "Or-"

"Or he's already here," Sai finished for him.

"That's what I fear. Keep your eyes open, and Sai… search the castle with your ink-animals, just to be sure," Yamato ordered the pale boy, who was about to reply, but was interrupted by Sakura's cheery voice.

"Aren't you hungry, guys?" she asked, walking over to them, and putting a hand on their foreheads to feel their temperature. "Hmm, seems to be normal…So, why aren't you eating? You have to eat proper meals, or you'll get sick. I know, Kakashi-sensei isn't here yet, but we can't wait for him all night, ne? So, let's dig in! "

Her smiled genuinely. She was always so concerned about them, instead of worrying for herself that she switched into medic-mode whenever she found something to be off. So, in order to keep her from worrying to much about them, they chirped "Itadakimasu!", and enjoyed the exquisite meal with her. Kakashi would 'poof' into the room sooner or later, no doubt. Then they would wait for him to finish his meal, and wish each other goodnight, before parting ways. Kakashi, and Yamato would stay a little longer, so that the wood-user could report back to his sempai without worrying that Sakura might hear him, and then the Copy Nin would go join his pink-haired cherry blossom for a night of a few- okay, a lot- of sweet kisses, and nightmare-less sleep.

**33333333333333333333**

He found her clawing at her throat, trying desperately to rip it open, so as to get enough air into her lungs. Red straks marked her her pale flesh, and she was gasping for air like a fish out of the water. Cramps shook her petite body. When he took her into his arms, she struggled against his hold, kicking and biting. He embraced her even more, tearing her hands away from her sore throat, and taking them into his larger ones. Softly caressing the top of her head, and pinning a few strands of hair behind her ear, he held her to himself, so that she could hear his heart beat.

"He's here," she cried, choked, gripping fistfuls of his shirt, and pressing herself into his frame. She shrunk a little in his eyes, trying hard to be invisible against him. He rubbed her back, and kissed her head, and let her sit on his lap when she climbed onto him. He could feel her push her cheek into his chest, could feel the tears soaking his shirt, could feel her trembling shiver through his body as well.

And he didn't care.

"Ssh, Sakura. Everything's fine. There is nothing to be-"

"NO!"

He was taken aback by her strong reaction.

"Sakura?"

"He's here. I can feel it. He's here. He came to get me," she said, rushing through her words, so that he had a hard time understanding.

"He's not here, Sakura. He can't be here," he tried to reassure her, but it was futile. She only started shaking more, whispering that he was hiding somewhere in the darkness of the room. Sighing he got up, and went about to check. Frightened, the pink-haired girl didn't leave his side. He turned on the lights, and opened the doors of the closets, noot bothering to take out a kunai or some other weapon. He wasn't expecting to find anything, and indeed, nothing was there.

Of course not.

"See?" he asked gently, gripping her arms loosely, drawing circles with his thumb over her velvety skin. "Nothing here."

"But…" Sakura protested, looking to her side.

He followed her gaze.

She was looking at the bed.

Sighing again, they made their way over to it. Kakashi felt reminded of the time, where Naruto woke him up in the middle of the night, insisting that ther was a monster under his bed that he- as their teacher- had to chse away. It turned out that there was no monster- obviously- and that Naruto never believed there was one in the first place, but that it was all a plot to get him off guard, capture him and- oh, the surprise- take off his mask.

Needless to say, it hadn't worked.

Standing infront of the bed, he hesitated for a moment when the memory came back to him. Was this an attempt to see his face as well? But no, Sakura had shown multiple times that she respected his wish, not to be seen. But still, she didn't look like someone, who would believe in a monster under their bed. Then again, her father was very much real. Suspicion raised, he decided to be extra careful.

"Kakashi-sensei, aren't you going to look underneath it?" Sakura asked in a teary voice.

Kakashi's eyes narrowed.

He bent down to look underneath the bed. At first, all he saw was darkness, then the outlines of a figure became clearer. It was a small figure, wriggling under the bed. Why hadn't he heard the movements before? He took a small breath of the scent, and found it to be quite familiar. Opening his sharingan, he saw through the last bits of shadow, and noticed that the person underneath Sakura's bed was…

…Sakura.

Suddenly, he felt ropes flow around his body, tightly gripping him, and yanking him back until he was against the wall. Then, he felt them growing, envelopping him more and more, until all his limbs were bound to the apricot wall. Gazing down his body, he noticed that it weren't ropes, but branches of some sort of tree. Tiny pink flowers were blossoming all over them, and he realized that it were sakura.

Cherry blossoms.

_'That bastard.'_

"Well, well, well," the voice of Sakura's father reached his ears, as the man dropped the henge. "What do we have here? The great Copy Nin trapped by a small civilian. If that isn't something to brag about."

"You will not get the chance to brag, bastard. I'll-"

"Stay on the sidelines, and watch while I take my revenge!" Haruno interrupted, yanking his daughter out from where he had left her. Sakura's emerald orbs were wide in panic, tears streaming down her face, but she didn't move. Didn't try to wriggle free of his grasp, and run for dear life. Instead, she just stood there, unable to move, unable to think, or to feel anything but pure horror. Her gaze was locked on Kakashi, though, how he was trapped in the branches of a cherry tree. It had to be a genjutsu, so why wasn't he disrupting it? Her panic rose, tenfold.

"Like hell I will, bastard," was the only response Sakura's father got.

"Oh yes, you will. Believe me. You probably noticed by now, that those branches aren't a genjutsu, and that you can't dispell them with a simple "Kai", so you know that you're powerless to stop me from taking my revenge…" Haruno explained, tracing a finger over his daughter's jaw. "Sweet, sweet revenge, indeed."

Kakashi balled his hands to fists.

"Don't you dare lay a finger on her!" he growled.

"I already did," the other man replied, trailing his finger down his daughter's throat, and chest until he reached the valley between her breasts.

Kakashi's body shook with rage, but there was nothing he could do.

_'Or maybe…'_ Before the thought could finish in his mind, he quickly plunged one of his nails into his thumb. His nails were short, yes, but the he did it with enough strength to draw blood. Pressing the bleeding thumb to the branches, he hastily summoned Pakkun, and orderd him to get the others, while Haruno was occupied with groping Sakura. The pug looked rather angry at first, obviously tempted to bite the man, then he switched to confused, and then finally it all dawned on him, and he was out of the room before anyone could blink. Just in time, too, because Haruno turned around that precise moment.

"Enjoying the show, Hatake?" he asked leisurely. "You just wait, it'll get much better… Have you ever played peeping tom on a coupling? No, well, there's a first time for everything, ne?… I'm sure, I won't be able to show you much new, that you could trie with my daughter in a private moment, but then again, you won't live long enough to touch this worthless slut ever again."

Kakashi growled. Haruno turned to Sakura.

"To fuck your sensei?! I thought I taught you better then that, bitch!" he said, slapping the smaller girl across the face, violent enough to make her stumble back, and fall onto the bed. She tried to crawl away from him, now, that it all came back to reality. He was on her in a second, trapping her tiny frame inbetween the sheets, and his large body. Pressing her into the matress with his weight. Grinding against her in a way that had her moan against her will. Sobs escaped the pink-haired medic, as Haruno started to slide her nightgown off her body, and bit down onto her exposed breast.

Sakura screamed, and rolled them over.

Surprised by her sudden fight, Haruno found himself lying on his stomach underneath another weight. He felt a knee pressing between his legs, a strong hand holding both of his wrist behind his back, and a lean frame against his back. A hard frame. That wasn't Sakura atop of him. What happened?!… Breath tickled his ear, hot, and heavy. A mouth pressing just slightly against the shell. He could feel a smirk forming on the stranger's face. Then, the person't free hand came up, and turned Haruno's face, so that he was looking at the trapped Kakashi. Only that it wasn't Kakashi for long anymore.

A puff of smoke, and Sakura appeared with a grateful smile on her face.

A kunai flew towards his daughter to free her from the cherry branches. The pink-haired woman landed on her feet, which were immediately taken in possession by a small, black kitten, yellow eyes staring back at him with mirth about his situation. Sakura took the kitten into her hands, and hugged it to her chest. Loud purring filled the room, and not only from the cat. He could hear it against his ear, mocking him. The smirk had grown wider, and a dark, sadistic chuckle left the stranger's mouth.

He knew that chuckle from somewhere, but before he could contemplate it, the door flew open to reveal Team Kakashi- minus Kakashi- and a brown pug. All of them had their weapons or technigues ready. A pale boy had drawn a short sword. A brown-haired man had his hands ready to perform the last needed seal. A blonde boy held a swirling ball of blue chakra in each of his hands. And a bluish-haired boy with blazing red sharingan-eyes had unsheathed a katana, and directed electrical energy into it. Even the pug had bared his fangs at him, but seemed to decide to better check on his daughter first.

"You alright?" he said in unision with the brown-haired man.

"Uh-huh. Kakashi-sensei switched places with me instantly, when he noticed that he had trapped me under the bed."

The group relaxed a bit, but not enough to lower their weapons.

"You lose, Haruno-san," a dark, male voice whispered into his ear, so that only he could hear. Another chuckle. "You didn't think I would let you arm my little Sakura-chan again, did you?"

"You bastard!" Haruno raged as he finally recognized the Copy Nin's voice.

"I wish you nightmares," Kakashi replied, before knocking him out, and getting away from the disgusting man.

Sakura sniffled.

"Is it over?" she asked.

"Yes," Kakashi replied. "Yes, it's over."

"…Good," Sakura choked, and threw her arms around him. She was crying again, but it weren't bad tears.

Kakashi slid his arms around her, and let her cry.

The team stood there a moment, shocked. They had suspected, had contemplated, but nothing could've prepared them for the reality. It wasn't like they had caught their team leader, and his former student kissing, or hand-holding, or making love-confessions, or anything. It was a simple, most innocent hug to comfort a friend, and yet it couldn't have been clearer what was going on between them, if they had written it on the walls in neon green. The simple gesture was filled with so much care, devotion, and… love that it permeated the air, filled their lungs, and calmed their hearts.

"We have to take this to the Hokage," Sai interrupted the beautiful moment.

Naruto immediately protested.

"Why? Just leave them be-"

"No, Naruto. We can't. As much as I would like to fake that this never happened, we can't. Sai is right. We have to tell Tsunade-sama," Yamato chimed in, his voice grave. He hated the idea of doing this, but it had to be done. "Kakashi-sempai, we should put him into custody, and then start our travel home tomorrow… Naruto, and Sasuke will stay with you, Sakura, if you don't feel safe."

Sakura nodded, sniffling.

"I understand," Kakashi replied in a tight voice.

Giving Sakura one last squeeze, he parted from her.

**33333333333333333**

"Don't worry, Sakura-chan. Everything will be alright," Naruto reassured her silently, thinking she was asleep as he sat against the end of the bed, while Sasuke had made himself comfortable by his side.

"Dobe."

"What did you call me, teme?"

"Don't make promises, you can't keep. If Tsunade-"

"Baa-chan is hard, but she's a romantic at heart. She'll agree."

"I hope you're right, Naruto. Because if you aren't, we'll have them separated for the sake of proper mission reports," Sasuke answered tiredly.

A tight grip on her pillow, Sakura bit her lip, and stared out of the window.

**Chapter End!**

**A/N: Uh oh, what will Tsunade say to this? What do you think she should say? Should she make it more difficult for Kakashi and Sakura, separate them( for a while only, obviously, to get over her doubts, and have them have a sweet reunion), or should she be positive about it from the beginning. At the moment, I'm more into the first one, but I'm open to any suggestions!**


	20. One more night

Kiss Me Goodnight

**Kiss Me Goodnight**

**KakaSaku**

**Warning: mild lime **

**Chapter 20: One more night**

She stood in the middle of the lake, water up to her hipbones, looking at the stars above her as the full moon dipped everything below in it's mystical silver light. The dark water, ssurface smooth, and still, reflecting the pale disk, intesifying it's splendour. The forest layed still, no sound carrying through the branches, not even the wind dancing in the top of the trees. Only a few silent fireflys were out and about, leisurely floating through the fresh night air, adding another touch of romance to the already beautiful picture. All in all, it was the perfect enviroment for small, perfect date.

If it wasn't for the sadness in her heart…

Sakura had no eye for the beauty surrounding her as her thoughts were elsewhere. With a certain silver-haired ex-sensei of her. An ex-sensei she fell for. Hard. A friend through pain, and sorrow. A lover she just found. And who would be taken from her by the time they reached their home, unless some miracle happened! She would be stripped of everything she had from him! All the wonderful kisses, ranging from soft and gentle to wild and passionate. All the warm embraces, his strong, masculine scent filling her nostrils. All his fleeting touches that seemed to linger on in her soul. All his sideway glances that carried his love, and care, and devotion towards her.

All that would be gone after tomorrow…

'_This isn't right,'_ she thought. _'I don't want to lose him. I just found him. I can't lose him!'_

**_'Then don't let it happen,' her Inner suggested._**

_'And what should I do, genius? Tsunade may be a real romantic at heart, like Naruto said, but you remember what happened to that one medic boy that asked me out back then?!'_

_**'He's probably still working shifts in the morgue!' Inner Sakura giggled.**_

'_Exactly. Now think about what she is going to do, once she finds out someone has actually dated me. Not to mention that said person is my former teacher!'_ Sakura reminded her other self.

_**'With emphasis on 'former'. Besides, I don't think she'll see these two things as even remotedly similar.'**_

'_Why not?'_

**_'That medic was a boy, Kakashi is a man. I thought we had worked that much out.'_**

'_But Kakashi is also a pervert,'_ Sakura retorted.

**_'…Oh, right.'_**

'_Don't tell me you forgot that?'_

**_'Just for a moment. Thinking about it, though, I realize that it doesn't matter.'_**

'_Doesn't matter? Shishou is going to think he seduced me into it, or something!'_ Sakura practically screamed in her mind.

'_**Not so loud,' her Inner admonished, covering her ears. 'Geez… Anyways, we'll just have to convince her that he didn't.'**_

_'…I guess. But how?'_

_**'Just talk to her. She knows you- us! She considers us a daughter, you know that. So, tell her how happy you are, and that you don't care that he reads those books, and that other people's opinions don't matter. Tell her, how you feel, and how you would feel, if you were to be separated from him, because of some stupid, godforsaken, old-fashioned law!" her Inner Self told her.**_

'_Hey, ain't I supposed to be the emotional one?!'_ Sakura joked, then it hit her. _'Oh my god, the law!'_

'_**What about it?'**_

_'The law about teacher-student flings-'_

'_**This is NOT a fling!'**_ _**Inner Sakura interjected, but Sakura ignored her.**_

_'It states that a teacher that has a relationship with a student shall be-'_

She was interrupted again, this time by someone calling her name.

"Sakura."

She turned around, reckognizing the sound of his vvoice, and gasped.

33333333333333333

"I don't like this!" Naruto said, pacing around the campfire, and his comrades.

Team Kakashi had stopped to camp near a lake, where they would have easy water supply. Yamato had immediately used his wood-jutsu to make a nice, comfortable house, raising a discussion as to why he hadn't done that before. The brown-haired ANBU retorted that he just didn't deem it necessary, but thought it a nice way to finish of their shortened vacation. Since they didn't get to stay in Moon Country, and all. But with the latest events, their immediate return to Konohagakure no Sato was obligatory. In the middle of their discussion, their team medic had announced that she would go get some water, in order to cook the soup. She still had not returned, which led to their team leader getting up, and following her- which led to a very disgruntled Kyuubi vessel, who was driving his comrades- and their tied **'package'** that sat in one of the corners- crazy with his endless pacing.

"They've been gone to long-"

"Kakashi-sama just got up, dickless," Sai interrupted him, but Naruto ignored him- thank the gods. The last thing they needed was a fight between the wanna-be Hokage, and the Ink-boy.

"- and it's so quiet."

"Which is a good thing, if you think about it," Sasuke muttered darkly.

"What's good about that, teme? He could be doing who-knows-what to her right now?"

"I'll ask you again, Naruto." Yamato sighed. "Can you seriously consider the idea of Sempai taking advantage of Sakura even for a second?"

"…No."

Another sigh from Yamato.

"And besides, dobe, that's why it's good that it's so quiet."

"Huh?"

"Leave them be, dickless. This could be their last night together, after all."

Yamato groaned as Naruto stopped dead in his tracks. Even Sasuke massaged his temples in a silent show of desperation.

"Did you have to put it that way, Sai? Now he's going to be even more troublesome," they growled in unision.

The painter chanced them a smile, and shrugged.

"What do you mean?! Do you think he is… they are… doing…you know?" Naruto stuttered, beet-red in the face.

"No, dobe," Sasuke answered.

A relieved sigh from the blond, before…

"**That** is why the silence is a good sign. If anything happens, we'll hear."

"WHAT?!" Naruto shouted, full-force. Everyone flinched, and closed their hands over their ears. "OH MY EARS! MY INNOCENT EARS! I'M GOING TO-"

And he rambled on.

"Thank you so much, Sai. That really helped," Sasuke grounded out.

Sai giggled.

The rest of the team threw him weird glances. Sure, they were used to Sai's fake smiles, and all. They had even seen a few real smiles, though it still was a special occasion every time, but giggling? Sai never giggled. Not even fake giggles. He didn't do fake giggles, or laughs. So, this had to be real. But if it was real, then…

Oh my god! Sai giggled!" Naruto screeched. "The world is coming to an end!"

Though they would never admit it out loud, Sasuke and Yamato were almost as worried. Sai giggling was a bad sign. Real bad. Glancing towards the sky, they were revlieved to see it was still in it's place, and did not come crashing down on them. However, something would happen, something terrible. This they knew. And it sent shivers down their spines.

'_Let's just hope it's an enemy attack…'_ Sasuke thought, not wanting to imagine what **else **could happen.

333333333333333333

It wasn't hard to find her.

Haruno Sakura stood in the middle of the near-by lake, looking up to the moon, and contemplating. How he knew this? He was standing only a few feet away, in ful sight, yet her glazed over eyes did not see him. They probably didn't see the sky either, or the moon, or the beauty of this place. Not the way her skin glowed in a combination of the silvery rays of the pale globe, and the soft, golden light given her by the fireflys that surrounded her. She most certainly didn't notice that the coldness of the water was making goose-bumps cover her skin.

Kakashi smiled.

She looked like an elven maiden.

"Sakura."

She turned around, obviously reckognizing his voice, and gasped.

Kakashi smirked.

"Like what you see?" he asked, without having to hear the answer. He was only a few feet away from her, in nothing but his standard jounin attire. His headband had been disregarded into the backpack he was carrying. Nothing but standard jounin attire.

And that did not include a mask!

She was so surprised, she was shocked into silence. There stood Kakashi, without his headband, and mask. She had felt the contours of his face with her hands efore, and had kissed his soft skin beneath the infuriating cloth, but nothing could've prepared her for what she saw. His dishevelled hair looked almost like liquid platinum under the moon, and fortunately it was out of his face this time, so that she could see it in all it's glory. The straight nose, his rosy (from the cold) cheeks, and masculine jawline. No scares, except for the one that went over his eye, and barely graced his cheek, but that one made him only look more… manly? She wasn't sure how to define it, so her gaze moved on to the part she'd enjoyed most during their time together. His pale lips. Full, but not overly so. Soft. Sexy. Smirking. Sexy.

Kissable.

And why not, her body seemed to tell her. It could be the last chance to.

Sadness washed over her once again. Was that why he had shown her? Was this a-?

"It's not a parting gift," Kakashi announced gently, but firmly as if reading her thoughts. "I had wanted to show you for quite some time, actually, and would've done so at the mountain lake, if you hadn't made such a fuss about it. It became too funny to tease you, then."

Sakura huffed, indignantly.

Kakashi's smirk grew wider, and all anger was forgotten. Seriously, how could you stay made at such a face?! He looked so cocky, and yet so innocent at the same time. Sakura wondered about that strange combination, but couldn't deny that it made him all the more sexy. He looked just… delicious…

And he was walking over to her!

Once Kakashi had reached her, and wrapped his arms around her, he found her snapping out of her day-dream-like state enough to stand up on her tip-toes, and kiss him, long and soft. Surprised for a moment, he immediately kissed back once he was over the little shock, slightly brushing his lips over hers. Sakura opened her mouth immediately, leaving Kakashi to wonder when she'd become so adventurous on her own. He took her face into his hands, letting the backpack hang from his shoulder, kissing her deeply. His tongue was sesnually caressing Sakura's, when he felt her raise her legs to encircle his waist to continue kissing him in a more comfortable position. Her hands were burried in his silver locks, pulling a little here, and there, without hurting him. One of them slipped to his neck, and followed it's lead to his shoulder that was underneath his shirt. His own fingers danced across her thigs, while he helped support her. His mouth left hers to wander down her throat, nibbling gently at the sensitive skin there, and grazing his teeth over it once in a while. The pink-haired woman let out a low moan. Her hand beneath his shirt clenched over his shoulder, nails digging into his skin, and her legs tightened around his waist. His own body responded to the intimate contact, and led him to draw back.

"…Kashi?" she whined, missing the feel of his kisses.

"No, Sakura," he stated in a voice that sounded more convinced than he really felt. He could practically see his control slipping from him. A little bit more of that, and he would not be able to guarantee for what he was going to do.

"But-"

"No, Sakura," he repeated, looking up to her face.

Big mistake. The pout on her lips made him want to just slant his lips over hers so badly.

"Our first time will be special," he told her. "Our first time will be a day in a nice, warm, comfortable bed- maybe with a few showers in between… It will definitely not be in a cold lake somewhere out in the wilderness."

Sakura pouted just a second longer, and it was almost enough to make him change his decision. She just looked so damn adorable, and cute when she chewed on her lower lip. Then, fortunately, she stopped pouting, and started to smile broadly. Her arms went around his neck, and her cheek pressed against his in no time.

"Promise?"

"…Yes."

"Okay!" she chirped.

'_There you go again, Hatake, making promises you may not be able to keep,'_ he berated himself. _'Well, at least she's happy again. Mission accomplished.'_

"Kashi?"

"Hm?"

"What is in the backpack?"

"Hm- oh, yeah!" He suddenly remembered, why he had come here in the first place, and carried Sakura to the shore. Setting her down, he gave her some of her clothes to change into, and turned the other way, concentrating hard on rummaging through his backpack to find… ah, there it was! He took out a scroll, and opened it. Touching his palm to the kanji in the middle, he took out what he had sealed into it. When he heard Sakura tell him that he could turn, he did so with the item in his hands. "I thought that since we brought them onto this trip, we might as well enjoy them."

Looking into his hands, Sakura found the strawberries they had purchsed a week ago. She threw Kakashi a doubtful glance.

"Are they even still eatable?"

"I carried them in a scroll, though they should've been like frozen in time, but I can eat one first, if you aren't sure."

"Do that," she said, and gestured for him to take one.

He was about to do so, when she suddenly stopped him. He raised an eyevrow at her antics, and Sakura giggled. Then, she kneeled down beside him to inspect the small, red fruit. It did look fine. Kakashi seemed to have been right on this one, like he was in most, but she still would not trust the little thing completely until she saw someone bite into it without spitting it out afterwards. The pink-haired medic took the fruit from him, and, with a huge blush, held it up to move it against his lips. Kakashi smirked again, and it only made her blush more, which led to her hand trembling. Slowly, Kakashi opened his mouth. Ever so slooooowly. He was drawing it out, she knew it, and she loved it. She could see his tongue sneak out half an inch, and lick over the rough surface of the fruit to get a first taste. By his volition, of this Sakura was sure, it caressed over her fingers as well.

Sakura shivered.

Chuckling a little, Kakashi bit into the fruit, closing his eyes. It was still good. Tasty. Fresh. And juicy. Enough of the latter to have a small stream of juice trickle down the side of his mouth accidentally. Kakashi was about to lap it up, when he felt a weight on his shoulder as if a hand had been placed there, and a small tongue lick over the side of his mouth. The Copy Nin shuddered. He would've never thought Sakura to be so bold. That was, when he heard her giggle. Opening his eyes, he found that she hadn't gotten bold.

Chihiro had always been, though.

"I **had** wondered where you had run off to, again, hellcat."

"Oh, I wish I could make a picture of that. You're just so cute," Sakura chimed in.

Kakashi sent her a glare, which made her erupt into more giggles.

"Sorry, Kakashi, but with a cute kitten on your shoulder, licking your cheek, you just don't look so intimidating!"

'_Not intimidating, huh? I'll show you intimidating,'_ the Copy Nin thought, and grabbed her hand. Taken aback, Sakura stopped giggling. Removing Chihiro from his shoulder with one hand, he used the other to bring the rest of the strawberry to his mouth, and bit into it again. This time, however, he purposely (sp?) let some of the juice trickle down to his chin. Sakura seemed to guess this, because she grew redder than the fruit had been. He smirked, pulling her towards him carefully. She didn't object, instead placed a hand on his shoulder for balance, and really brought her lips to the underside of his chin. Kissing, licking, and nibbling away the juice, she worked her way up to his mouth, just barely gracing her tongue over his lips. Kakashi's smirk grew, but he pulled away a little, leaving her wanting again. He took another strawberry, and held up for her. Shyly, Sakura closed her lips around the tiny, red fruit, brushing his by doing so, and bit down. They didn't waste much time into chewing, and swallowing, or to lap up the strawberry juice, instead leaned in again for another passionate kiss.

'_Who cares about tomorrow. We have today,'_ Sakura thought, when they finally broke apart for some air. She felt Kakashi kiss the top of her head, as he breathed heavily. She placed her head beneath his chin, and snuggled into his embrace as he lay them down, covering them with a blanket he had brought.

"We'll make it through."

**End of chapter 20!**

**A/N: After the gruesome, angsty stuff in the last chapter, I thought you deserved some romance…**

**Result of the POLL: By popular vote there will be a lemon in this story. I would've almost put it here, but I thought it wouldn't look well, if they had to tell that Tsunade. Therefore, I made them act responsible, and wait. I hope that, if you're angry with me now, you will forgive me!**


	21. Tsunade's Decision No 2

**_Kiss Me Goodnight_**

**KakaSaku**

**Chapter 21: Tsunade's Decision**

"We could always not tell her!"

Yamato groaned. Naruto had been popping up that suggestion for the better part of the travel. It was unnerving, to say the least. Not that Yamato didn't want the blonde to be right, but they had discussed this over and over again, always coming to the same conclusion. Yet, the team's young wanna-be Hokage wouldn't stop. Whenever he guessed them far enough away to be out of ear-shot, he would start at the beginning. Again.

As if their handholding wasn't bad enough...

Kakashi and Sakura were about ten metres ahead of them- the silver-haired man probably able to hear their every breath- hands molded to each other, fingers enterwined. Being the naturally faster one, and unable to time his steps with the pink-haired medic, the Copy Nin had resorted to snaking an arm around Sakura's waist, and help her keep his pace. As much as he wanted to frag this out, he couldn't step out of his skin of being exceptionally fast. Sakura's feets were barely touching the ground, or rather branches.

His other hand was linked with her's.

To their team, it was agonizing!

Here were their teammates, both having lived through a rough past, finally getting a chance at happiness, and they were going to probably destroy it. Maybe Naruto was right. Maybe they really shouldn't tell Tsunade! Then again, the Hokage would find out, sooner or later, and then there would be hell to pay. She would most likely look more kindly on their situation, if told sooner. Not to mention that it would be better than trying to sneak around, and conceal everything. That just wouldn't be a live!

Their friends deserved better!

"Yamato-taichou?" Naruto inquired.

Yamato sighed.

"We've discussed this, Naruto. We can't not tell her."

"I agree with dobe," came a voice from his right side.

"Not you too, Sasuke." Yamato was tired of arguing. It made his own inner war only worse.

"No, think about it. He does have a point. I mean, if we just leave out that particular part of the story, the only one saying different would be the 'package'. And Tsunade is more likely to believe us than him," Sasuke reasoned.

"Plus, Sai-bastard over there was giggling. That's a bad omen!" Naruto whined. "What if Tsunade-baa-chan decides against them?! She could get them separated forever!"

"It's worse than that, dobe. By law, she could get him executed!" Sasuke warned, chancing a sideways-glance at the man in question.

"What?!"

"He's right. The old laws state that if ever a teacher touches his student, he or she is to be openly beheadded."

"WHAT?!"

"Relax. It's an old law, and I doubt Hokage-sama will abide by it. For once, Kakashi-sempai is one of our top-ranking jounin, and she can't afford to lose him over a silly law made in times much different from nowadays. However, the law is still there, and might just use it to her own advantage."

"Then why are we planning on telling her?" Naruto argued.

"Because she will find out regardless. And I'm sure you agree with me, when I say it's better she finds out by someone she trusts, instead of on her own, in which case her wrath will be unforgiving. This way we'll be able to influence her. It is true that we might get them separated, but if she hears this from anyone else, or stubles upon it on her own, they **will** be separated for sure."

At that the others stayed silent.

**33333333333333**

Ahead of them, Kakashi's grip on Sakura's waist tightened. He had been able to listen in on every word with his enhanced hearing. Sometimes he cursed that ability, especially when Naruto was all cheerful, and shouting "BELIEVE IT!" into his ear, but right now, he was very thankful for it. He had heard everything, and agreed with Yamato that in their situation it was the best course of action. That didn't mean he liked it, but he would probably do the same thing, if he were them.

"Something wrong, Kakashi?" Sakura's voice drifted to his ear, her breath brushing against his mask-covered neck. Her hand squeezed his gently.

"No, no. Just…thinking."

"You mean worrying."

"Yes, that too."

"It will be alright."

"How can you be so sure?" he asked. He didn't understand. She had fretted over this most, but now she seemed so calm. So confident.

"I don't know. I just am," she answered cheekily. "I believe in us, and I believe that everything is going to turn out good, I guess."

"I wish I had your confidence," the Copy Nin whispered, pecking the top of her pink locks.

Sakura smiled. She disentangled her hand from his, and he would've almost whined at the loss, but she just slipped her arm around his back, and pressed her face into his vest, successfully chasing away the disappointment. He smiled back at her with his usual eye-crinkling, but he still didn't feel so sure about Tsunade's reaction. She might be happy for them, and wish them good luck, only mildly threatening him not to hurt her precious apprentice.

But fate never gave people the best-case scenario.

He dragged his hand along the medic's side in a lazy caress, delighted as she gasped a little, and pulled her into him some more. He could feel the fingers of her free hand fisting into his vest, her head tucked against his ribcage, and another pressing against the underside of his chin.

Chihiro had taken a liking to the pockets of his jounin vest…

**333333333333333**

_(A few hours later)_

To say Tsunadee was surprised when she saw Team Kakashi enter in a depressive state with their team leader, and medic holding hands would have been the understatement of the year. Raising an eyebrow, she wondered for a second if something bad had happened. Then, her eyes snapped back to the enterwined state of Kakashi's, and Sakura's fingers, and started staring. Her first thought was that he was squeezing her apprentice's hand in comfort over whatever had the team so depressed. But it wasn't that kind of handholding. Kakashi grip on Sakura's hand wasn't tight, on the contrary, it was gentle, soft. His thumb was lazily drawing circles on her skin.

Tsunade blinked.

And continued to stare.

Obviously noticing her gaze, Sakura stepped closer to Kakashi as if to make a point. The Copy Nin then squeezed her hand for a second, before starting to caress it again. Tsunade's jaw dropped. She hadn't taken her eyes of her shinobi's hands, but she's witnessed everything about that little exchance, and it had gotten realization to hit her. Hit her hard. Anger was about to override the surprise, and shock, but just as she raised herself, about to yell, Yamato slammed something onto her desk.

Something that groaned at the pain…

Tsunade snapped back to attention.

Looking down onto the wooden desk, she felt a sadistic smirk tug on the corner of her lips. She gave in without putting up a fight. Her ANBU Team had returned just an hour prior. Apparently, they had run in some rouge Ninja, and not been able to complete the mission they were assigned. She had yelled at them for a good hour, and then send them over to ANBU's medical facility with the strict order for her medics to heal only, what **had to be**. She would overthink that now.

"Welcome back, Haruno-san," she greeted the tied-up male. "We missed you terribly. Don't ever scare us like that again. We were really worried…"

The man glared.

"Worried you might not make it back for your execution."

The man panicked, and tried to wriggle free.

Tsunade's smirk grew. Then she saw Sakura tense out of the corner of her eye. A scowl appeared on her face, when Kakashi slid his arm around her shoulder, and continued to caress her hand with the other one, now.

"Sasuke, Sai, Naruto. Get Haruno-san to the dungeons. I think, Ibiki, and some of the others haven't been able to finish their discussion with them, and seeing as they only have a day's time, I'm sure they would like to continue as soon as possible," the blonde Hokage ordered icily, before turning to Shizune, who had been silently witnessing the whole scene from the sidelines. "Shizune, accompany Hatake, and Sakura out the door, and seat them in the hallway. Make sure an approriate distance is kept."

"Wha- uh, yes!" the brown-haired woman replied, glancing apologetically at the two as she stepped in between them.

Once they were out the door, Yamato wished he could go as well.

"Okay, five seconds, Yamato!" Tsunade barked. "What's going on here?"

Yes, he definitely wished he could just leave.

**333333333333333333**

"Close the door behind you."

Sakura did. She hadn't looked at her shishou as she entered the office, and she gladly used that order to avoid having to look at her for another few seconds. Therefore, she turned around, until she was facing the door, and slowly pushed it. Once it was shut, she stood there for another few moments, trying to gather her wits. She would not let her shishou take this- take Kakashi from her without a fight!

"Sakura…" Tsunade began, but her apprentice spun around the second she heard her name being called. Stunned by the fire in the young girl's beryl orbs, the blonde Sannin couldn't say anything for a breath.

That was all it took Sakura to spill her guts.

"Kakashi didn't take advantage of me, shishou. He would never do that! Nothing happened-"

"Kakashi admitted to having kissed several parts of your body, including the valley between your breasts," Tsunade deadpanned.

Sakura blushed at the memory, but quickly caught herself.

"My bosom was covered," she mubmled.

"By a bikini." Tsunade could've laughed at her apprentice's face, had the situation been deifferent.

"He didn't kiss- or touch- me in any place, or way I didn't want him to, shishou." Her voice was small, but firm. She had promised herself to put up a fight, until she convinced her shishou to just let them be. What was so bad about it, anyway? She didn't understand. They were in love. Wasn't that supposed to be something your friends should congratulate you? Couldn't they just be happy for them? Why did they have to make everything so compicated? It was the simplest thing, really.

He was male, and she was female. Together, that made, attraction, love even.

It really was a simple equation!

"When did this start, Sakura?" Tsunade asked. "And be aware that I asked Kakashi the same question." Lie.

"I…" Sakura started, but fell silent. When had this started? That was a question she'd been trying to answer herself in the past few days. Their relationship as it was now had started on that fateful evening in Suna, but was that really what her shishou meant? And her feelings? When had her feelings turned from a friendly adoration to the heart-warming glow she felt now, whenever she thought about Kakashi? When? "I… I don't know, shishou… I'm sorry… But nothing happened until Suna, I swear."

Tsunade raised an eyebrow.

"It's true! That night was the first time he… he k-kissed me." Her hand came up on it's own accord to touch her lips at the memory. It had been her first kiss- on the lips. And she was happy it had been Kakashi. At least that hadn't been taken by her father! At the thought of that man, she shivered involuntarily, encircling herself with her arms. Tsunade seemed to notice what she was thinking about, because she cleared her throat to get her out of her darkening thoughts.

"Do you love him?"

"Yes!" Sakura replied without a second's hesitation.

_'Well, that was an easy one,'_ the blonde thought. _'Now, let's try something harder.'_

"And you believe that he loves you back?"

"Yes." Again, no second's hesitation.

Tsunade's eyebrow rose another inch.

"Has he told you so?"

Sakura hesitated.

"That's all the answer I nee-"

"Maybe not with words," the pink-haired girl blurted out. "But actions always do speak louder anyway."

Her confidence had obviously returned.

"Please, shishou," she continued. "Please. He did nothing wrong. Since when is it a crime to fall in love? Please, he didn't do anything. Don't… don't… hurt him. Just… I love him, please, I love him…"

Tsunade was shocked for a moment, then gritted her teeth.

"You may call the others in now. I have decided."

Long before Sakura had even reached the door, Tsunade's mind was back wondering over the discussion she had with Kakashi.

**Flashback**

"Why?" _the Hokage asked. _"Why? Tell me one good reason not to have you beheadded along with Haruno!"

"I'm offended. If you have to behead me, at least do it somewhere far away from that bastard," _Kakashi growled out._

"You're not in the position to demand anything, so just answer me, Hatake!" _Tsunade shouted._

"For once, because you'd lose a valuable shinobi, and with the upcoming war with Mist that wouldn't be a good idea. Secondly, I- on the contary of Haruno- did not abuse of Sakura. I do care about-"

"Care? Kakashi, you're supposed to care about her. She's your student!"

"Haruno was supposed to care about her as well, he was her father. And she's not my student. She's a jounin now, my equal. Besides, if anyone's, she's your student- since she was thirteen."

_Tsunade's fist slammed into the desk at his calm, yet somewhat cocky reply. He could lose his head over this, and he was completely calm- or at least appeared to be- and it ifuriated her further. Then again, he probably knew that she would never behead him. The law was too old for these modern days, and she had wanted to ab-_

"Plus, you have wanted to abolish all those old laws anyway, so it would make a hypocrite of you, if you applied that one on me now just because Sakura is your apprentice. Especially when you know I'm not cuprit of the crime put under severe punishment by it," _the Sharingan Warrior stated._

"Not?" _Tsunade ground out._ "Are you, or are you not in a relationship with my apprentice?"

"I am, but as I explained before, and as you confirmed just now, she's your student, not mine. Furthermore, that specific law puts abuse of a teacher's power of his student in order to have the children perform sexual actions on them under punishment. I'm not taking advantage of Sakura in any way. I would never do that."

"Don't beat around the bush. Don't come talking about laws, and paragraphs, Kakashi, tell me why! Why should I allow this to go any further?" _the Slug Sannin asked.The Copy Nin had the distinct feeling that she wanted him to come up with a good reason. And he was right. Tsunade had tried to abolish that law for quite a while, but she could never convince the Elders, and though she was the supreme leader of the Leaf, sometimes even she had to make a compromise. Now she had the chance to create a precedent!_

_Kakashi sighed._

"I'm not one to marry, and settle down," _he started,_ "- so I'll probably never fall down onto my knees infront of Sakura, and restore her honor, and purity. I'm not very good at expressing my feelings, so she will probably not get to hear 'I love you' as much as she would deserve to. Many things I'll say will sound harsh, when I mean well, so I'll probably hurt her more often then most men she could choose would-"

"Is there any good news, there?" _Tsunade asked, impatiently, but Kakashi ignored her._

"She's not alone in my heart as my duty to Konoha will always be one of my strongest bonds."

"Hatake…"

"But," _he said._ "No one could ever, or will ever love her the way I do. She's not my world, but she is the sun that brings light into it."

"…Kakashi." _The Hokage could nothing but whisper. The look in his eye, the tone of his voice, the way he held himself- the usual slouch nowhere to be seen, his hand clenched at his sides… She'd never heard him speak with such sincerity. Heck, she'd never heard anyone speak with such sincerity in her lifetime. He was not lying. This wasn't a pedophile that was taking advantage of his student. This was a man fighting for, and desperately clinging to the love he had just found. _

"Is she pregnant?" _That question needed to be answered. Maybe he just felt responsible after abusing her._

"She couldn't be," _Kakashi said after regaining his composure._ "Not with my child anyway."

_Tsunade decided not to comment on it._

"You mean you never…" _She cleared her throat._

"No."

"How far did you go?"

_Kakashi hesitated for just a split-second, but it didn't go unnoticed by the blonde Sannin._

"Kissing," _he finally answered._

"Where?"

_The Copy Nin bit his lip, before telling her everything. Tsunade fell from one feeling to another. Surprise, anger, shock, fury, mirth, wrath… Instead of saying anything thatg would inevitably let to her punching him, she decided to get back to what he said earlier._

"You think she could be pregnant from Haruno? Were there an signs?"

"No. It's been over a month, and no signs, but that doesn't necessarily mean anything. For once, not every woman get's morning sickness and such, but aside from that… The human mind is a powerful weapon. If her subconcious decided that the trauma was too great, he'd shoot down most of her natural reactions. Anything that could remind her…"

"You gave her birth control. Yamato told me."

"It doesn't always work, you know that. You'll have to test her."

"Wouldn't it be better if she just…lost it silently… if it's there at all?"

"That would have to be her decision, don't you think?"

"She could never make that decision. She's too kind. She would force herself to…bear that bastard's child," _Tsunade grunted, falling back into her seat._

"I don't like to have to say that, but, however conceived, the child- if there is one- would be innocent. It would have the right to get a chance at living, and if Sakura decides that it is to be given that chance, then there's little we can do."

"…I'll test her as soon as possible. Call her in. I have to talk to her, too."

_And she waved him off._

**End of Flashback**

"I've decided that you'll live separate lives from now on until I say something else," Tsunade announced, turning to look pointedly at Kakashi then. "You wont touch her, you won't talk to her. Hell, you won't even so much as look at her, unless I specificly order you to, and if you see her coming towards you on the street, you'll change the side. I'll have you under surveillance, Hatake, so don't think you can sneak away now and then. I'll-"

"Shishou, I have a request," Sakura suddenly spoke up. Tsunade nodded at her to tell her, she was listening. "My birthday is next week, and I would like Kakashi to be there… I won't talk to him, or look at him, if you don't want me to, but I just… I just want him to be present. Please."

"… I'll think about it. Yamato, take Hatake back home."

"Uhm…"

"What else, Sakura?" Tsunade snapped a little at her. She hated to be like that towards them, but their pain had to be real. If she wanted to convince the Elders of abolishing that stupid law- and this would be her only chance in a while, that was for sure- it needed to be realistic. She needed a precedent!

"Could we… have a moment?" Kakashi asked instead.

Tsunade glared daggers at him, but nodded once.

In a second, Sakura was in his arms, gripping onto his vest tightly. She sniffled a little, and she felt tears prick at her eyes, but she refused to cry infront of the Hokage. Instead, she opted to press herself closer to the silver-haired man, until not even a piece of paper would've found space between their bodies. Stepping onto her tip-toes she placed her lips over his masked ones in an urgent kiss. Surprised, and well aware that they were being watched by six pairs of eyes- the rest of Team Kakashi, and Shizune had come in with them- he lifted his cherry blossom a little, so that her pink locks would fall over his face, slid down his mask, and kissed her back. He poured all of his emotion into that one kiss, urgent, and passionate, but also tender, and loving.

Then he set her back down, his mask back in place, and let himself be led to the door…

**End of chapter 21!**

**A/N: I know it's pretty much devoid of any romance, but that would just not have suited the theme. It will get a more romantic again. Maybe on Sakura's birthday... What do you say? Tsunade should allow Kakashi to be present, right? Or maybe not? You decide!**


	22. Pains and Plots

**Kiss Me Goodnight**

**KakaSaku**

**Chapter 22: Pain and Plot**

Her gaze was locked onto the ground.

As she stood in the examination room in nothing more than a papary hospital gown, waiting patiently while the Lady Hokage herself examined her, Konoha's pink-haired Cherry Blossom did do so much as blink. Her sad, lonely gaze sticking intently to the ground, she stood silently, not a sound leaving her lips, until her shishou's chakra entered her body, and made her gasp. It was warm, and soothing, and Sakura couldn't help, but believe that Tsunade was putting effort into making her comfortable. It seemed to be vain, though, as the young woman couldn't find herself appreciating the gesture. She just let the energy flow through her, touching her in ways more intimate than anyone else ever had.

Even her father.

Even...

Sighing, the Hokage retreated her chakra, and for a moment akura feared that the blonde woman might have found something. A foetus. Then indifference made it's way back into her heart. She couldn't bring herself to care for anything anymore. It has been no more than three days, and already it seemed that the world had darkened a little. She was just always so sad that not even the tiniest smile had tugged on her lips ever since the Hokage's decision. Naruto, and the others had tried to cheer her up, taking her out to eat, or enjoy herself a little, but she just didn't feel anything.

Only sadness.

And hurt.

Ever since their goodbye, word had spread throughout the city about the student, and her teacher, and people had lowered themselves to take sides without hesitation. She had known, should word ever leak out about them, people would talk, and she had thought to be strong enough to take it. But she had just always imagined that they would take it together. That he would be there to take her in his arms, or just smile at her, hold her hand, and squeeze it ever so lightly.

He wasn't, no thanks to the Hokage.

Now she had to bear the whispered suggestions, and ambigous jokes all by herself. Of course, her team had given each, and every one of the bastards a piece of their minds, but there were just so many of them, they never knew where to turn their heads to. She had never been groped that often in such short periods of time. Apparently, everyone thought that she was now public property.

If only he was there.

"Well," said woman cleared her thoughts, bringing Sakura's mind back to the present. "There is some good news, and some bad news. What do you want to hear first, Sakura?"

"Whatever you feel like telling me, Hokage-sama."

Ther it was again. The 'Hokage-sama'. Sakura had been calling her nothing else, not that she spoke much at all, but whenever she did, it was with a distant tone, and emotionless voice. It sounded as if all feelings had left her, until she was nothing more than an empty shell. Could she really be this pain-stricken by her forced separation from the Copy Nin that everything became completely meaningless to her? The Slug Sannin exchanged a gaze with Yamanaka Ino, whom she had asked to take care of Sakura for the time being. The blue-eyed girl looked just as concerned, though there was more in her pupil-less eyes. Grim determination to get the smile back on her friends face, and… anger.

Ino's eyes snapped back to Sakura in an instant.

_'Is she angry with me?'_ Tsunade thought. _'Or with Kakashi? With Sakura? Or with herself perhaps?'_

Shaking her head, she went back to the topic at hand.

"The good news is… You're not pregnant," Tsunade said matter-of-factly, and heard a relieved sigh from the Yamanaka. "As for the bad news… I'm sorry, but I can't allow Hatake to go to your birthday party. It just wouldn't be a good idea. You live separate lifes now. We don't want a repeat of what already happened, do we?"

Sakura's gaze turned a little sadder.

Pain ate away at Tsunade's heart. She hated to do this! She hated to be the bad guy in this story, especially towards Sakura. But she needed this precedent, for them, and all the others that may still come, and if that meant putting them through this pain, then she had sto swallow her heart, and go through with it. Once this was over, she vowed, she would apologize to either of them a hundred times at least- well, to Sakura, anyway. She still wasn't sure what to make of Hatake. She believed him that he really did love her apprentice, but that still didn't mean that she had to like it. Much less since Sakura so obviously reciprocated his feelings. Sighing again, when she got no answer of the pink-haired girl, but a sad look directed at the pavement, and a slight tremble going through her small frame, she dismissed them with a wave of her hand.

Sakura was out of there in a flash.

She ran out the examination room, only stopping to hastily pull her coat over the hospital gown, not even waiting for her best friend, who was carrying her other clothes. She carried on running until she was out of the hospital, and onto the streets, and got away from the main roads. She ran until she was home, taking the way through the park, in order to avoid as many people as possible. She ran into her bedroom, locked the door, and threw herself on the bed. The indifference gone, she started to cry. She had known that Tsunade would not allow for Kakashi to be there, and she had not dared hope, but it still hit her hard. She wasn't indifferent, not when it came to Kakashi. It pained her so much to be away from him. It had been only three days, but it already felt like a lifetime to her. He was her constant in the storm, but also the gentle breeze on her face, fleeting, and soft. She loved him with all her being, and he was not there. Not because he didn't want to, but because he had been ripped from her. She remembered the sad look he gave her, as Yamato led him away.

It had bean heartbreaking. He had looked like a kicked puppy.

Sakura curled on her bed, and hugged her pillow tightly to her chest. She had not washed the covers since she had gotten back from Moon, and so his scent still lingered on the cloth. It was too faint to trick herself into believing he was actually there, but it was still strong enough to fill her senses, and have her memory of his every gentle caress return to her mind, and soothe her, and keep the nightmares at bay. She wanted to bath in his scent forever.

Unfortunately…

"Come on, Forehead. You need to get out of here!"

Yamanaka Ino had made it her personal mission to cheer her up, and was banging at her door.

"We'll go to the hot springs, relax a bit, and talk. Then maybe you will finally tell me what's so special about him that has you so depressed."

Sakura frowned, but something in the Pig's voice made her stand up, and open the door anyway.

If only she had known…

**3333333333333333333333**

"It's like I'm everyone's arch-nemesis!"

Tsunade comlained, pacing in endless circles infront of her desk.

"Gai burst into my office this morning, ranting into my face about the cruelty of my unyouthful heart, and I'm very happy that Lee is still in hospital, or he would've probably joined in. It was already enough that Tenten nodded in agreement every once in a while. Shikamaru lit a cigarette in my office, Chouji showed his worst table manners ever, Ino looked at me like she wanted to burn me to crisps. Kurenai, and Anko have stopped talking to me altogether, and if I expected a break from everyone's cold behaviour when I met up with Neji, and Hinata for their upcoming marriage, I was sadly mistaken. The little twerp seemed to look right through me, and I've never seen Hinata's pale eyes throw so much held-back accusations towards someone. Add to that that Akamaru pee-ed against my table, and Sakura wouldn't look at me at all. Furthermore all I hear from her is 'Hokage-sama' here, and 'Hokage-sama' there... Could you just tell me what THE HELL is wrong with everybody?! It almost looks as if they've been expecting this all along, and want me to just say 'yes and amen' now that it actually has happened."

Panting, she came to a halt infront of the white-haired man that had been amusedly listening to her, while covering his ears just a little because of her shouting.

"Well, if you think about it, it was kind of obviously leading to this."

"WHAT?!"

Jiraya cringed.

"Well, after Sasuke left, and Naruto went on a training trip with me, those two did become rather close from what I've heard. Up until now, we didn't know why, but I think that little mystery is now lifted, what with Haruno being arrested- and didn't you want do behead him two days ago? In any case, even after they brought the Uchiha back, Kakashi, and Sakura stayed close, at least for a little while- and now we know why they didn't talk to each other in pretty much two years."

"The Elders wouldn't sign the damn execution order. Apparently it doesn't matter that much to them that he abused, and godamn raped his daughter, since he is such a great asset to Konoha's financies as a merchant."

"I see."

"But she wouldn't even look at me!" Tsunade's sudden outburst made Jiraya start a little.

"Think about it. If the Sandaime had taken Dan from you, how would you have reacted?"

"That's different," the blonde argued, letting herself fall onto the couch beside him.

"Different how? You loved Dan, Sakura loves Kakashi-"

"Argh! Don't. Say. The. Name."

"And from what I hear, he loves her as well. You have separated the two of them. What did you expect? An invitation to a gambling hall?" Jiraya asked her incredelously.

"No. I just… She never not talked to me about her problems, and now…"

"So that's the problem? That explains a lot."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"That you have a problem of letting go," the Toad Sannin answered, shaking his head. "You planned on scaring off any boy that dared step up for the take, didn't you? But, oh the surprise, this is a suitor that isn't scared off you, and has no reason to be."

"I'll show you 'no reason to be scared'," Tsunade grumbled, raising her fist.

"Oh, please, Tsunade, we both know there is a reason that Kakashi is going to be the next Hokage- or at least was going to be, before he fell for his student."

"Naruto-"

"-still does not measure up to Konoha's famous Copy Nin, because as much as Naruto evolved in these past years, Kakashi did as well. At the age of 38 he still hasn't gotten to the limits of his potential, and you know that. I mean, his sharingan alone gives him a great advantage. With every fight he learn new technigues, be that Nin-, Gen-, or Taijutsu-"

Here, Tsunade interrupted, asking herself why she even continued talking about that infuriating man's abilities.

"The sharingan can't copy Taijutsu. It can copy the basic movements, but not the force, or perfection of the attack."

Jiraya sighed.

"You know why Kakashi created the Chidori?"

"Because he couldn't infuse Rasengan with his own chakra, due to it's nature. He's a lightning-type."

"Exactly, while the Fourth was a wind-type. However, do you also remember when he created the Chidori?"

"Huh- oh!" Realization set in.

"Yep. He didn't have the sharingan back then, which means…" Jiraya tried to lead her from there.

"He copied the Fourth's technigue without the eye. Oh my god, how come I've never thought about it this way before? He was known as the Copy Ninja even before he got his sharingan, wasn't he?" Tsunade blurted out, awed, and kind-of scared at the same time.

"Yeah. So, you see. He's hardly done learning, even now. He already copied over a thousand jutsu, probably much more by now, and it's unlikely you could scare him," the white-haired man said. "Don't get me wrong, I'm sure he's frightened of your punch hitting him, but that's the whole point, isn't it? You'd actually need to hit him, and he **is **exceptionally fast, which makes kind of a problem out of the hitting part. Meaning, you can't scare him off, and away from your little pride and joy. You're losing something of her, some of her loyality, and care, so instead of being happy for them, and congratulating them, you separate them under some pretense-"

"It's not a pretense!" Tsunade shouted angrily. "I've been trying to abolish this law for months on end!"

"But you didn't. Wanna know why?" The Sannin grinned.

"You are surely going to tell me, whether I want, or not," the blonde grumbled.

"Because deep down inside, you knew this would happen. And that's why you deserve to have people treating you that way."

"…" Tsunade sighed. "Fine, maybe."

"And you were afraid," Jiraya digged further.

"Don't overdo it. I still need that precedent."

He shook his head, raising his hands in defence. If she wanted to be stubborn as a mule, fine with him. At least she admitted to be wrong in the first pl-

"How did he start seeing her that way, anyway… Probably something out of your stupid books."

Or maybe not.

"Oi, oi, don't blame my works of art."

"Works of art, my ass. That's porn, pure, and simple."

"They're romance novels."

**3333333333333333333333**

"Why did I agree to this again?" a disgruntled male voice asked.

"Because you haven't gotten out of your appartment for three days in a row, and you need to wash up, but refuse to take a shower," came the muffled reply of another male.

The first one raked a hand through his unruly silver hair, and grunted. Entering the bathhouse, he went off to the men's changing rooms, and started to disrobe. The bathhouse was empty. No wonder, it was almost midnight by now. He wrapped a towel around his hips, and excited again. He could almost see the ANBU raise their mask-hidden eyebrows at the second white, fluffy towel that covered his face. In the end, they just shook their head, and ushered him foreward. They had not changed, saying they would wait outside, and he better not try anything funny. Frowning for a second, he listened to their following conversation, as he slowly walked towards the hotspring.

"Is it really okay, if we just leave them alone in there?" the younger ANBU asked.

"Hokage-sama only forbid them to actually seek each other out. She never said anything of them 'accidentally' meeting in a hotspring," the other replied.

"It's not a joined one, is it?"

"Nah, there's still a wooden wall between them."

"Oh, okay."

"A wall that probably wouldn't withstand his icy glare, but still…" The first snickered.

Kakashi frowned. What was going on here? Accidentally meeting? Seek each other out? What the hell?!

"The Yamanaka-girl sure is a great plotter," Genma's voice carried to him as he stepped into the spring, muffled by his Bear-mask. "Still wants to wring his neck, but being so cooperative anyway..."

'Yamanaka? Ino? That means…'

And then he felt it. Sakura's chakra from the side of the women's bath.

She seemed… excited…

**End of chapter 22!**

**A/N: Aw, aren't Genma and Ino sweet. It's short, I know, but I couldn't resist the cliffhanger. What do you think will happen now? And why is Sakura excited? Oh, well, you'll just have to wait for the next chapter... 'evil grin'**


	23. Fears and Regrets

**_Kiss Me Goodnight_**

**KakaSaku**

**A/N: Sorry, I made a mistake in the last chapter. Kakashi is 31, not 38!**

**Chapter 23: Fears and Regrets**

"Why, Sakura? Tell me why him of all people!" Yamanaka Ino demanded as the two girls stepped out of the changing rooms of the local hotsprings. Though no one was there but them, the girl had wrapped her white towel around her body tightly as if expecting a man to barge into the room any second. That, and the fact that she was clenching her fists into said towel furiously, made it very clear that she wouldn't stop questioning until she got a satisfying answer out of the pink-haired medic.

"Ino…" Sakura sighed, exasperated. For the past three days the blonde had bugged her with that particular question, never getting more out of her that a sad look, or an irritated grunt. In Sakura's mind it could remain like that way forever. It was none of the Flower Girls business, and she wouldn't be able to explain anyway.

"Don't 'Ino' me, Sakura. Tell me why!" Inoichi's daughter retorted heatedly. "You could've had anyone you wanted, so why him? You could have your pick of much younger, attractive shinobi-"

"Name one, Ino-pig," Sakura challenged her best friend. She seriously doubted any other male could be nearly as attractive as Kakashi, even if her eyesight deteriorated (sp?), and she had drowned loads of alcoholic beverages, but the medic decided to humor the blonde- for now!

"Shika."

"He's with Temari, have you forgotten?"

"Chouji."

"Has hooked up with a nice civilian girl."

"Shino."

"Same here."

"Kiba."

"Still pining over Hinata."

"Naruto."

"Still somewhat mid-heartbroken because of Hinata's marriage. He realized too late that he liked her."

"…Neji."

"Has to marry said Hinata, or their clan will be at each other's throats in seconds since the segregation was abolished."

"…Do I dare ask?… Lee?"

Sakura just snorted.

"Uhm, Gaara, Kankuro."

"Too scary."

"What about Sai-" Sakura was about to answer, when her friend spoke up again. "Nah, he's too cute for you."

Sakura growled.

"What about Sasuke, though?"

"…Well… he did ask me out once, but… but I refused," Konoha's Cherry Blossom answered meekly.

"What?! Why?"

"It didn't feel right at the time. I just… don't feel that way for him anymore…" the pink-haired girl admitted.

"And you do for Kakashi-sensei?" Ino asked bewildered.

"Uh…yes… Weird, huh?" Her emerald eyes adverted to the bluish-green surface of the water, sadness, and fear making their way back into them. Sadness, because she was separated from him, possibly forever. And fear of Ino's reaction. Though they called each other names, and always argued, the Yamanaka-girl was her best friend. Sakura wanted, no, needed her approval, but of course wasn't expecting anything short of what she had already seen, heard, and felt on her person.

"Just a little. We've all had our fantasies."

"Huh?"

"Well, many girls prefer more experienced men, so that- Eh, Sakura? Sakura, are you alright?" Ino stopped mid-rant, seeing that her friend's face had turned a darker colour than her hair., her body unconsciously slipping deeper into the water. Ino could already see her breath form bubbles underneath the surface. Frowning for a moment, she soon realized what had happened, though she couldn't quite believe it. "Sakura?"

More bubbles.

"Are you telling me, you have never… with him…" the blonde hastily added as she remembered what Tsunade had told her about Sakura's father. For a brief moment, rage took over, but the soft sound of splashing water as Sakura furiously shook her head in negative made her snap out of it. "Wow."

"Strange, huh?"

"Pretty much, yeah," was Ino's response. "I mean, if that would've been me, I would've jumped him already-"

"Ino-pig!" Sakura screeched.

"Oh come on, don't be such a prude. I mean you should know better than me how defined his abs is, and how hard the muscles on his chest, and how-"

"Ino!" The pink-haired girl did her best not to hear, and covered her ears tightly. She didn't need to be reminded of all that. At the mere thought of him, her blush deepened.

"I'm just saying. Have you never wondered how it would be to feel him, all of him? His skin on yours, his—oh, okay, okay, I'll get you a drink so you can cool down that blush of yours," the other girl announced, getting up, and leaving Sakura to sit in the women's bath, alone.

To think.

"Stupid Ino-pig!" Sakura huffed, and pouted.

Of course she had thought about that. How could she not, when Kakashi, though being gentle all the time, was so definitely _male_. How could she not think about his sculptured chest after she had seen it in the mountains. How it would feel to touch it, softly tracing patterns onto his skin, or run her hands all over it, just to feel his muscles flex beneath her fingers. To kiss, and lick, and bite at it, marvelling at it's soft firmness. Or how he made her feel when he raked his hands over her sides, or when his tongue slid over her own, and her hands clenched in his silvery locks.

She had often wondered what it would be like if, or when he would make love to her. Knowing him, and his addiction to that smutty novel, she was sure it would become kinky at some point. That was a fact that had her thrilled, and frightened all the same, yet she was oddly sure that she wouldn't mind much when it came down to it.

Unless he would try to make her call him 'sensei', that is.

'_That's what got us into all the trouble in the first place,'_ Sakura stubbornly thought, but couldn't help the rush of dirty pleasure that washed through her. _'Oh my god, I'm becoming a pervert, and all we did till now was basically kissing…'_

**3333333333333333333333333**

For the past three days Kakashi had sat on his living room couch, hoping he would get the chance to see her again. He had missed her to the point that he had thought about her every waking moment. He couldn't even take a bite of rice without imagening how much better it would taste, if only she was there. Not that he was a bad cook, or anything- being bachelor for so long made it inevitable that one learns a few things about cooking- but her presence always seemed to make everything around him brighter, nicer, better. He hadn't been lying when he had told Tsunade that she was like his sun, chasing away the darkness of his world. He wanted her with him to enjoy her smile, and small gestures, the softness of her gaze when she looked at him, and the haze that overcame her when he kissed her lips.

Unfortunaely, his mind also thought about all the unpleasent things that she probably had to endure at the moment. He was pretty sure he knew, what peoplke were saying about him- rapist, pedophile and the like- and even if someone spit the words into his face, he would just let them roll off his shoulder. After all, they already called him a pervert. Howver, the mere idea of what they made be calling Sakura angered and hurt him, because she didn't deserve it, and there was nothing he could do.

He came to wonder if it would not be better, if he let her go. If maybeTsunade was right after all, and their relationship really was wrong, if they were wrong. Sakura would get over him sooner or later, he knew. She was such a strong young woman, much stronger than him in some ways. She would get over him, and move on, find someone younger, and more worthy of her heart. Someone that would envelop her in his love, and care, and read her every wish from her jade eyes. Someone that would hold her, kiss her, make love to her gently, and cuddle with her in the aftermath.

She would find happiness.

With someone else…

Kakashi frowned. He had been so ready to let her go, let her find someone to enjoy her life with when he was back at his apartment, but now…now that he was here, and she was just a breath away, he couldn't bring himself to give her up. He wanted to be selfish, to keep her all for himself, and be the one that she would love, always. He didn't want her to get over him, and move on. He didn't want her to marry, and have kids with anyone but him.

'_I want to be with her forever.'_

Why couldn't he do this again?

'_I don't want her to leave me.'_

Oh, yes…

'_I want to spent my life with her.'_

Because love wasn't selfish.

_'But…'_

Love meant to give up everything you have, and are for the other to be happy.

_'…I can't.'_

"Sakura," he whispered, pain making it's way through his heart, as he placed a hand against the wooden wall, and let his chakra flow into it.

**333333333333333333333333**

"Sakura."

Sakura's head jerked up at the sound of her name. It couldn't be. He couldn't be here. Was this some kind of sick joke her mind was pulling on her? Was she missing him so much that she was starting to imagine things that weren't there? She blinked when she felt his chakra seeping through the wall that separated her from the men's bath. She jumped up, and ran over, grazing her sesitive fingers against the wood until she found the source of his chakra. He was there, really there, behind that wall.

"Kakashi," she sighed, sending some of her own chakra back to tell him she was there.

Immediately, his chakra concentrated on her, flowing over her body from where her hand touched the wall. The sensation reminded her of his caresses. She could practically feel his hand as it lazily ran up her arm, shoulder, and neck to cup her cheek. His thumb was softly tracing circles over it, and Sakura sighed. This was almost heaven, already, and if this was just his chakra, she wondered how it would feel if he actually were to touch her after three days of not even seeing each other. Arousal shot through her at the thought, and her cheeks began to burn. She had known for quite a while now that she wanted this man, but her body had never reacted this much to the realization.

'_It must be because of the spoken taboo,'_ she thought, _'Forbidden fruits always tasted the sweetest.'_

When his hand moved to grip her shoulder, her thoughts were stopped. His signature had somehow changed, seriousness, and… pain taking over. Was he hurt? Did he do something to himself? Did someone else do something do him? She sent another wave of chakra, checking him for any injuries, but there were none. Worried, and confused she waited with baited breath for what was going to happen. The terrible feeling of rejection in the pit of her stomach didn't make it much better, either.

And then he spoke.

"Sakura… I was…wondering…if… if maybe we were in the wrong, and…Tsunade did the right thing to separate us. I mean, I was your teacher, and I'm so much older than you, and…" He paused, waiting for the inevitable to come. For her to cry, ask him for his reasons, plead with him, and eventually scream at him what an ass he really was, but nothing of that happaned.

Instead, she took it with an eerie calm that frightened him even more.

"You know what? You're probably right," she said in a chippery voice, he could tell was false. "Completely right. You're old, and I'm young. I should be dating someone my own age. Someone that isn't always late, and porn-addicted. Someone… someone like Sasuke-kun. He did ask me out on a date once, but I had turned him down. That special connection to him just isn't there anymore, but maybe… I mean, maybe I can rekindle that connection, and…"

"Sakura," she heard him whisper.

"I'm glad. Glad we figured this out before we did something stupid," the young woman continued on as if he hadn't said anything. As if she hadn't heard the hurt, and jealousy in his voice. "It's a good thing we end this here. I'll tell shishou that she has nothing to worry about anymore…Well, I guess I'll see you around, then."

And with that, she stood, and ran. She didn't get very far however as his chakra gripped her wrist like a hand, and tried to pull her back. She yanked herself out of his grasp, though.

"Don't touch me," she hissed. "You can't just go saying such things, and then- how could you?… Don't touch me. I hate you. I hate you!"

"Sakura," he pleaded.

"Goodbye, Kakashi-_sensei_. "

"Sakura!"

In a second, he had teleported into the women's bath house, and grasped her wrist for real. He could feel the surprised flare of chakra in the ANBU outside, and could practically smell the anger that coursed through Inoichi's daughter. Yet, he paid them no mind. Instead, he ripped the towel off his face, and pulled her to him.

Then, he proceeded to slant his lips against hers, forcefully slipping his tongue into her warm orifice. One of his hands tangled itself into her hair to cradle her head, while the other was holding her side, right underneath her breast, his thumb sliding against her bosom's underside with each lazy circle it draw. He used both to press her small body even further against his hard frame as he plundered her mouth with such intense passion. This kiss wasn't about care, and devotion, not even about domination. This was the kiss of a man clinging to his newfound love, while desperately trying to let go!!

He was literally drowning the poor girl in pleasure.

Sakura wanted to struggle, to fight him, to push him off, and bit his lips hard enough to draw blood, but it only seemed to fuel his desire. Somewhere in the back of her mind, Inner Sakura told her she should've known this. The pink-haired blossom could hardly make out the words, though, as she found it hard to concentrate on anything, while his tongue teased her own with expert moves, his ministrations so rough that it hurt. It made her want to cry (out), not from the pain, but just because it was too much pleasure for her inexperienced body to handle at once. She could feel her insides twist, her stomach flipping with all the butterflies in there going on a rampage.

What was a girl to do, but give in?!

Her hands found their way around his neck, fisting in his soft hair, and tugging on some strands roughly enough to hurt. Kakashi grunted, but didn't seem to mind. One of her hands slipped underneath his arm, and around his chest, until her nails raked over his bare beck, leaving red marks along their way. Her other hand wandered down to his cheek, then his neck, pulling him towards her, her breast flattened against his chest. Her legs wrapped around his hips, allowing his towel to brush the sensitive flesh of her inner thigh from the intimate position. Sakura groaned into their heated kiss at the feeling, and instictively moved to have it brush over her skin again.

Stars exploded infront of her vision at the liquid heat that shot through her at the sensation.

Her unconscious grind didn't go unnoticed by the silver-haired male she was practically straddling, and he had half a mind to let it just go from there, but remembered his promise to her, and himself, the Hokage's clear words, not to mention the fact that they were in a public bath, and the ANBU would probably come to fetch him any second now. He wouldn't want to give them a show, well, more of a show than they had already put on. So, he broke off their kiss hastily, sliding his tongue one last, delisciously slow time over her swollen lips, and leaned his forehead against hers to regain some control. Their breathes were more than just a little ragged, their pulses raced, and…

"Was that…" he wondered, unaware that he had spoken aloud.

"Uhm…" the pink-haired girl answered, coming out of her haze, only for her darkest blush to take over her already rosy face.

"Did you just…" He couldn't quite say it. No matter how he would put it, it would sound nothing short of dirty coming from him.

"I'm sorry," Sakura whispered.

Kakashi wanted to laugh. Only she could feel sorry about something that would make any man proud. He just shook his head, and dropped the matter.

"Why do you always make me forget my good intentions," he chuckled, kissing her forehead softly.

"Huh?"

"I want you to be happy, and if that means that I have to let you go, then I will. It will hurt like hell, but you deserve better than me. You deserve someone who can talk openly about his feelings, and who will say 'I love you' over and over, until you're sick of it. You deserve to move on, and find someone more like you. Someone not as jaded as me, someone not as socially awkward… But I don't want you to leave me, and move on. I don't want you to find someone else. I want you to stay. To stay with me always. I-"

"Baka!" Sakura chided him, laying her cheek against his. "I don't want anyone else. I want you. I love you, and only you. And I want you to allow me to stay with you, forever... And if you can not tell me, then just show me how you feel..."

Kakashi smiled, and leaned in to kiss her again.

"Chrm, chrm. At least turn around, so we can get a good look at your face, instead of your back, Hatake."

**End of chapter 23!**

**A/N: Uhm, I don't really know what came over me, but... I hope you don't mind that piece of... cough...  
Yeah, well... see you next chapter! ;-)**


	24. The Birthday

**_Kiss Me Goodnight_**

**KakaSaku**

**Chapter 24: The Birthday**

Five hours.

In five hours was her Birthday Party, and he wouldn't be there. Hell, he wouldn't even get close! The Hokage, and the Council had him locked up in his apartment with two ANBU infront of his door, who were under strict orders to kill first, and ask questions later, if he so much as put a toe out of his apartment. So for another three and a half days he'd been sitting on his living room couch, standing up only to eat or if he had to use the bathroom. At the moment, the famous Copy Nin was just stepping out of his shower, heeding Sakura's advice as they had parted. He wrapped a towel around his waist, and rubbed another over his silvery locks. The friction, added to his natural electricity made his hair stand out into all directions, so that he looked like he had just put a hand into a wall socket. Sighing, Kakashi quickly put on a fresh shirt and pants, and went back to sitting on his living room couch moping.

'_I already missed her Sweet Sixteen, and now I'm going to miss another one of her birthdays,'_ he thought, miserable.

Another sigh left his masked lips as he reached out for the table infront of him.

_'I can't even have someone give her the present I got her.'_

He fingered the small item.

_'The Elders even forbid the ANBU who guard me to have actual contact with me. Maybe Genma would have ignored that order, but these ANBU are strictly by-the-book, and from what Tsunade told me, very Council loyal.'_

He clenched his fist around his present angrily.

_'What should I do?'_

For once, his exceptional mind seemed to have gone on vacation when he needed it the most. Either that, or it was really impossible to somehow get past the guards, and to Sakura's birthday party. He prefered the first option! He hated the feeling of being powerless. He had to come up with something, anything to get away from the ANBU for a few minutes, or at least send the pink-haired woman her present.

_'Easier said, than done.'_

Sinking back into the couch, he played through the different scenarios for a minute. He could use a Kage Bunshin to confuse them, but those guys weren't ANBU for nothing. They wouldn't be fooled by that. He could fight them, he was pretty sure he could take them on. Unfortunately, he was also pretty sure that they would be able to alert the Council before he took them out, and that wouldn't really help matters at all. He could use a Bunshin to send to Sakura, but they would probably destroy it, even though it wasn't the real him. He could summon Pakkun to hand over the present, but of course the ANBU would notice, and stop him.

He could-

A soft "Meow!" suddenly interrupted his thoughts. Looking down, he saw Sakura's tiny hellcat sitting infront of his feet, looking quite offended. She stood, only to grab onto his leg tightly with her claws. The Copy Nin winced. He couldn't exactly be mad at the kitten for attacking him this time, though. He hadn't really paid attention to her this whole week that Chihiro was now living with him, because of his depressed mood, which got only worse after the hotspring- incident. Apparently, once again, he had forgotten to feed her, and now she was angry at him.

Another scratch.

"Yeah, yeah," Kakashi grunted in an irritated manner, standing up. "I'll give you your damn fo-"

He stopped dead in his tracks when an idea came to him. Looking down again, he gave the black furball a once-over. Inclining his head, he wondered if it could actually work, but really what choiuce did he have? None. It was the only way he could possibly achieve his goal.

'_Let's just hope, cats really are as smart as people make them out to be,'_ he sighed inwardly.

The Copy Nin crouched down, and picked Chihiro up.

"You don't like me, right?"

"Meow!"

"Well, that feeling is mutual, believe me."

"Meow."

"Wouldn't you rather want to live with Sakura again?"

"Meow, meow!!"

"Good. Then here's the plan…"

He couldn't believe it, and would deny it furiously if ever someone asked him about it, but here he was, famous Copy Ninja, Sharingan Warrior Kakashi whispering into the twitching ear of a black kitten with attentive yellow eyes, while simultaneously gently rubbing it's stomach. When everything was said, he put his present into a little plastic bag, and attached it to the pink collar, Sakura had bought her cat. Then, he sat her down again, so he could bite into his thumb. Pressing the bleeding finger onto the surface of the table, he summoned his dogs, and barked quick orders.

Then, he sent them off.

Seconds later, two ANBU stormed into his apartment, finding an innocent-looking Hatake Kakashi asleep on his living room couch.

**33333333333333333333333**

The evening was going to be great!

Ino herself had planned all details of Sakura's Birthday Party. She had made the list of dishes that were to be served, had rented the hall, and ordered a hundred bouquets from her parents' Flower Shop as well as the usual party decoration. She had dragged half of Konoha's male shinobi population over to help set everything up, she had gone to the resident bakery, telling them exactly what kind of cake was supposed to be ready for the party. She had gone shopping with Sakura, chosing the dress, and shoes she's wear for the occasion. She even dictated which ornaments the pink-haired medic should put on. She had even supervised what all the other helpers were doing for the party.

All that while simultaneously planning the Hyuuga marriage next month.

"Piece of cake!" she'd said, when Hinata had voiced her concerned of the blonde over-working herself.

The shy Hyuuga heiress had left it at that, though her eyes clearly stated that she was still worried for her friend. To distract her from her additional concerns, Ino had quickly remarked how wonderful her pastries had become. Though the cake actually came from Konoha's best bakery, Hinata had taken it upon herself to cook for the entire feast, as cooking was her not-so-secret-anymore hobby, and she really was quite exceptional at it.

Tenten took a bite. She'd been hanging up the garlands, but dropped them as she chewed.

"Man, Hinata, that's great! If you ever have trouble getting something out of a target, all you have to do to swoon him is to cook for him. I'd gladly tell you all my secrets if I could get another bite. This stuff is addicting!"

The Hyuuga girl blushed.

"Ano…arigato, Tenten-chan, but no more bites. It's for the party," she replied softly. She may not stutter anymore, but would still hardly raise her voice above a whisper.

"No worries, Hinata-chan. Although, it is good enough to steal…" Tenten reassured her somewhat.

"Arigato."

"No need to thank her, Hinata. She's only saying the truth…" Sakura chimed in, then motioning for Ino to come talk with her for a moment. "Ino, this is neither my Sweet Sixteen, nor my twentieth's birthday, so why are you making so much fuss about it. This party is too big-"

"Oh, nonsense!" Ino waved her off. "It may not be your Sweet Sixteen anymore, but this is your first birthday being in love- since Sasuke, anyway! This has to be celebrated."

"A celebration of me being in love without the one I'm in love with… Hurray!" the pink-haired girl replied not very convincingly.

"Look at the bright side!"

"The Council has Kakashi locked up in his apartment, ANBU infront og his door, watching his every move. I haven't seen, or spoken to him since the hotsprings-incident, and it is quite possible that I will ever see him again, unless our ways cross on the streets once they let him out again. And in that case, we'd have to act like complete strangers, not even saying hello. Now, you tell me where the bright side of that is, and I'll see if it is worth looking at," Sakura said dejected.

"Uhm… Well, if you put it **that** way…"

"…"

"…Just…I don't know… try to have a good time. He'd want that for you, right?" Ino asked, hoping to cheer her up, somehow. It seemed to work for the moment, because her eyes softened when Sakura realized that her blonde friend was right. Kakashi would want her to enjoy the party, instead of moping around. He would want her to pass a pleasant birthday, even if he couldn't be there. Just like last year, when they hadn't talked to each other at all, and he'd been on a mission to top it off.

'_Only that this time, he isn't on a mission, but just a few blocks from here in his apartment, and still won't be able to make it… Damn, so much for positive thinking, girl!'_ she scolded herself. _'If only that hadn't happened back at the hotsprings…'_

**_Flashback_**

"Chrm, chrm. At least turn around, so we can get a good look at your face, instead of your back, Hatake."

_Kakashi didn't have to turn around to know who was speaking to him in such an angry voice. Instead, he burried his head into the side of Sakura's neck, inhaling the soft fragrance of her hair, and gently kissing the sensitive spot just below her ear. The young medic gasped a little, her arms wrapping around his neck to cradle his head. Like a cat looking for caresses she rubbed her cheek against his, and sighed in pleasure. She strengthened her hold around his waist, and neck, pressing herself even closer to him._

"I don't want to lose you again," _she whispered fearfully._ "Though you could've showered before coming here…"

"You won't," _he stated gruffily._

"…" _She wasn't convinced._

"We could always elope?!" _Kakashi suggested, half-joking._

"Don't be ridiculous! You would never turn your back on Konoha," _she chided him, clenching her fists into his hair._

"You'd be surprised what I'd do for you, koi,"_ he murmured softly, sending shivers down her spine as his breath tickled her ear, and the word he used to address her sunk in._

"Am I that?"

"Hm?"

"Am I your… koi? Your…"

"Beloved?" _he asked, and kissed her in response. It was hard to talk about all these things, but he would learn how to, if only he stayed close to her. One of his hands slipped to her thigh, and he could hear a low growl, and several disgusted snorts behind him, but he didn't bother with explanations. He gently lifted her thigh from around his waist, and set her foot back down onto the floor. Sakura immediately caught up on the message, and reluctantly let go of him, but stayed close. Her hands left his hair, and softly raked over his chest before she let them fall to her side. His forehead touched her's shortly after, then his lips were on her cheek. Then, with his lightning-spped, he grabbed the towel he had previously dropped, and rearranged it infront of his face before turning around to face a very angry Tsunade, and Council._

"I thought I had given strict orders?" _the honey-eyed woman barked._

"It wasn't their fault, Tsunade-hime," _Genma quickly intervened._ "Yamanaka and I made them meet here, though it was actually never part of the plan that Hatake entered the women's bath…"

_Tsunade glared at them._

"Walk Hatake back into his apartment, where he is to stay until further notice. We'll have two other ANBU take your places then. When they arrive, come report to us immediately," _the leader of the Council said angrily._ "We'll notify you of the date of your trial, Hatake-san."

_Sakura flinched at the word 'trial'. Kakashi seemed unfazed._

_He followed the two ANBU calmly._

"And you, young girl, better know your place. You can't just go against the orders, and laws of those superior than you. The Council will have you re-evalutated for-"

"That won't be necessary," _Kakashi's smooth voice carried over from the entrace, where he had stopped._

"I don't think that's your decision to make, Hatake-san," _another Council-Member snarled._

"No, he's right. Her jounin-rank is not an issue."

"But she sle-"

"As it wasn't Kakashi who suggested her for the promotion, but me, and unless you want to say I'm gay-" _Here, Tsunade shook her fist at them , eyebrow twitching dangerously._ "- there is absolutely no need to re-evaluate her. Now, everyone, get dressed, and get out of here."

_She turned towards the Copy Nin at that point. Understanding the message, he walked out of the women's bath immediately, not noticing the smirk on Tsunade's face. She then shoo-ed the Elders out of the room, as they were mostly male as well. Ino, who had been silently standing there for the whole time, saw Tsunade's expression, and gave a disgusted snarl._

"Do you really enjoy seeing them hurt that much?" _she hissed._

"I just think I found the perfect present for Sakura's birthday," _Tsunade replied calmly._ "Not to mention that I can take my revenge on Hatake at the same time. Revenge is sweet indeed… Ino, I have something to do for you-"

_She was about to continue, but was interrupted by a dull thud behind her. Sakura had fallen to the ground, wracked by sobs. She hadn't been able to hold the tears anymore, once everyone else had left. She had just had a slice of heaven, and they had not only taken it from her- again- no, they wanted to try him for statutory rape, or something now, too. How were they going to get through this? How could she ever hope of being with him again, now that the Council was taking matters into their own hands? What was she supposed to do now, when her world started to crumble once more? Ino was with her in a second, hugging her tight, and whispering soothing words into the medic's ear. Tsunade stood uncertain, but then decided to leave the two girls. She wouldn't be much of a help now anyways, considering where she stood with Sakura at the moment._

_She did pause at the door, though._

"Everything will be alright, Sakura. You'll see," _she said mystically._

**End of Flashback**

_**'Those blasted, god-forsaken, stuck-up…' Inner Sakura ranted, when she suddenly stopped. 'What was that?'**_

_'What was what?'_

_**'That sound. Like someone just… stubled over a trash can, or something…'**_

_'Hmm, I don't know. Maybe we should go look?'_

_**'Okay, but let's be careful,' Inner Sakura dmonished.**_

_'Yes, mom!' Outer Sakura thought, and rolled her eyes._

_**Her Inner Self scowled at her.**_

She ignored it, and went to the door at the back. It wasn't far away, seeing as she and Ino had retreated away from everyone else to talk. The blonde Yamanaka seemed to have noticed the sound as well, because she followed Sakura as the girl opened the door. A trash can had indeed been thrown over, and merrily sitting on it with a plastic bag in her pink collar, and a brown pug beside her, was…

"Chihiro? Pakkun?"

"Yo," the dog answered.

"Meow!" Chihiro 'said', and jumped up into Sakura's chest. The girl hugged the little kitten tightly, hearing the pug mutter that he- of course- didn't get any thanks. Chuckling, the pink-haired medic settled Chihiro on her shoulder, and patted the small pug on the head, then scratching behind his ear. Needless to say, Pakkun couldn't stay mad at her for a second longer.

"What are you doing here?"

"Kakashi sent us over with your birthday gift. Sorry it took so long, but for a supposed genius the brat is really slow sometimes. And we had to avoid those ANBU…"

"It's alright… In the plastic bag, I suppose?"

"Yep."

"Thank you, guys," Sakura chirped, smiling happily. Tears welled up in her eyes, and ran down her cheeks at the pure joy that she had actually some kind of contact with Kakashi. Ino took the plastic bag from Chihiro's collar, and Sakura carefully opened it. Taking a peak inside, she gasped. Her hand came up to cover her mouth in surprise. She cried only more, as she showed Ino what Kakashi had gotten her, and the Yamanaka girl whistled, and smirked. "Thank you, tell him… No wait, I've got a better idea."

And she bent down to kiss Pakkun on the cheek.

"Deliver this to Kakashi, will you?" she asked, cheekily.

Ino giggled.

Chihiro meow-ed, and jumped down.

Pakkun grumbled something, but then went off, taking the kitten with him in his mouth.

**3333333333333333333333333**

"Move it, Hatake, you got somewhere to be!" the Hokage yelled at him.

**33333333333333333333333333**

The party was crowded, already, and there were still quite a few people missing- aside from the obvious person, of course. Everyone was chatting, eating drinking, and laughing. The girls were worried that the buffet wouldn't be enough for all those people, which had Hinata stir crazy as she thought herself to be held responsible if a lack of food should ensure. Tenten, and Temari quickly placated her, somewhat.

"It's not like you could go into a kitchen in that anyway," Tenten reminded her.

Hinata blushed. She, like everyone, had dressed up for the occasion. She wore a silky lavender-coloured dress that was held up by two spaghetti straps that crossed over her back. The soft garment fell to the floor, hiding her feet under it. It left her arms bare, and was rather low-cut on the back. Her friends, and her fiancé had been rather surprised to see the shy girl wearing something so daring.

Then again, everyone had pulled out all the tops for this party.

The male shinobi poulation, as no civilian was present, had all foregone their vests, and forehead protectors in order to wear normal suits, looking rather peacefully, and if it wasn't for the kunoichi leaving all their weapons, wires, poisons, and explosive tags behind to put on one dress more beautiful than the other the crowd would look rather boring all in black. Tenten had wrapped herself in a green chinese-style dress with a bkack dragon working it's way up her body as design, and chinese symbols. It was skintight, leaving little of her curves to imagination, which had several of the male guests turning her head after her as they passed by. Of course, the attention could also go to Temari, whose soft purple dress was smexily showing off bits of skin in between the silken cloth. None of the men did more than look, though as each of the three women (let's not forget Hinata) had her arm linked with either Kankuro, Shikamaru, or Neji.

"She's right, Hinata-sama," the Hyuuga boy spoke quietly. "There is nothing to be done about it now."

"Oh…umh, but…"

"Ssh, there's the Birthday-Girl," Temari hushed them.

And indeed, Sakura just stepped through the main entrance, accompanied by her best friend Ino, and looking rather fabulous. She was biting her painted lips, obviously self-conscious in her sinfully red dress. It was tied around her neck, two long straps of cloth falling over her exposed back down to her rear. The red silk contrasted her pale skin, a fact that made her look like she was glowing. One side was open up until her knee, and it showed off quite some cleavage, even the valley between her breasts, but not in a way that made her look cheap or anything.

She just looked devastatingly beautiful!

She wore a jade jewel on a silver chain, and matching earrings that could easily be seen, since her hair was being held up with a few decorated senbon. Looking up from under thick eyelashes, she noticed everyone staring at her, and blushed in a very Hinata-like way. The crowd chuckled gently, while Ino led her through the hall to her friends, while Tsunade started her speech.

"You look beautiful, Sakura-chan," Hinata squealed a little.

"I'd call it mostly sexy," Temari argued, making both women blush. "Kakashi-san would get a nosebleed if he saw thi- Oh, sorry, I didn't mean-"

"It's okay. He can't be here. I've accepted that," Sakura replied sadly as she fought back a fresh wave of tears. Holding her necklage up, she added: "This is all I'll get to see off him tonight."

"We'll see about that," Ino announced.

"Ino. He has ANBU guarding him, and this time it's not Genma. If he shows up here, the Council will just have him locked up again- only, this time, in prison!" Sakura huffed.

"Oh, believe me, before they know what hit them, it will already be too late," Ino said, rubbing her hands together evilly.

Sakura frowned, opened her mouth, and-

"-and of course a Birthday Party without a Birthday Cake just wouldn't be a Birthday Party, right?!" Tsunade's voice drifted over, catching everybodies attention. She was pointing at the open doors of the main entrance, where a giant cake was brought forth by Yamato, Sai, Sasuke, and Naruto. All four of them grinning- or in Sasuke's case smirking- like idiots! Everyone gasped. Sakura's mouth hung open. That cake was big enough for a person to fit in it, if it was…

'_No. No, shishou wouldn't do that!… She doesn't have a stripper in there, no way! She wouldn't do that to me, right? Right?!'_ Sakura panicked. _'I'M only 18, goddammit!' (Note A/N)_

Ino cackled.

"Well, where's the Birthday Girl?" the honey-eyed Hokage asked smugly. "She has to blow out the candles."

'_Oh, __no, no, no, no, no! __This isn't happening! This is so not happening to me!!'_ Sakura thought frantically, while being shoved towards the giant cake by her three supposed-to-be best friends. She sent them evil glares that promised a painful death, but none of them seemed very scared. Apparently, they thought she wouldn't really mind in the morning. And they were right, only that Sakura didn't know that yet, and still believed she would fry them the next day.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Naruto grinned as she stood infront of the cake uncertainly. There was a single candle on the top of it. Since the cake was bigger than her, Yamato made a hand seal, and created a staircase for her. Hesitanting for another second, as she watched everyone's gleeful expressions, Sakura finally walked up until…

…she was eye-level with the candle…

…took a deep breath…

…and blew it out!

'BANG!'

"DOUBLE DYNAMIC ENTRY!" the cake shouted, before two figures jumped out of it, startling Sakura so much, she fell backwards towrds the floor. Bracing herself for the impact, the pink-haired woman was more than a little surprised when it never came. Instead, she found someone's arm tightly around her waist, and a hand on the back of her head, holding her in a position similar to a dip in a dance of tango. Opening her eyes to see clearly, she first noticed a white button-up shirt, and a black bow tie over a definitively male chest. Next, she heard the shocked gasps, and whispered comments, the outraged yells of some of the older shinobi, as well as the Council. She thought she heard a strangled "-take!", but it was drowned in a shout of "My Youthful Rival!"…

"See, I told you, everything would be fine," she heard Tsunade whisper, and it sounded as if the tough Hokage was on the verge of tears.

"Happy Birthday, Sakura," followed after in a smooth, male voice. The head of a tiny black kitten with yellow eyes came out of the pocket of the man's jacket, and meow-ed softly.

Without even looking up to see his masked face, she threw her arms around him, crying happily.

**End of chapter 24!**

**A/N: So, Kakashi was there after all. Perfect, hm? Sakura turns eighteen in this chapter, which in Japan is still two years from becoming an adult. As far as I know you can get married at 16, if your parents are okay with it, but become of legal age only with twenty. So, judging by that the 18th birthday wouldn't be something special in Japan.**

**QUESTION ABOUT THE LEMON: **

**I'm wondering whether or not I should put the lemon in the next chapter. I mean, Sakura is still 'only' 18, and the Council still wants Kakashi's head on a silver plate, so to speak. I was thinking that them doing 'it' now, would just make it worse. Then again, you could also argue that they've waited long enough… In case I didn't put the lemon here, I'd make them wait a little longer- not two years, mind you- a few chapters at most.**

**You decide.**

**Tell me what you think.**


	25. A pleasant Evening

**_Kiss Me Goodnight_**

**KakaSaku**

**Warnings: I don't know if a little making out qualifies as lime, but I thought I'd warn you. **

**A/N: Thank you, everyone, for helping me out. I hadn't planned to put the lemon here, but became unsure during the course of the story. So I asked. Thank you all for answering me(and so quickly). It gave me the resolve I needed to start writing this chapter. The lemon will wait a little longer.**

**Chapter 25: A pleasant Evening**

She was clinging to his body like there was no tomorrow. Her arms tightly around his back, nails digging into his shoulder blades through his jacket, and shirt, one leg up and wrapped around his waist, showing off the smooth skin of her thigh. Her head could not be seen by the surrounding people as she had burried it in his chest, inhaling deeply the musky scent that was so undenieably Kakashi.

Sakura was so happy.

The hand that had been holding her by the small of her back now wandered down to her thigh as the silver-haired male straightened his position. Pulling her close, he swayed her gently to the music that had started to play without anyone noticing. His other hand went to cup her cheek, brushing away all tears. Because he couldn't stand to see her cry, not even out of happiness.

Not when such joy filled his heart.

She laughed, and raised her arms to go around his neck, gently playing with the soft silvery locks there. She could feel everyone's eyes on them, could see the smiles of her friends, as well as the scornful looks of the Council, could hear the whispered comments that ranged from "Aww! How cute!" to "Craddle-robber", or "Little Slut!". But she couldn't find herself caring anymore. Those very comments had eaten away at her heart the last week, making her worry over how he would react to them, concerned that he might leave her (which he had tried), but now, with him so close to her, it just all seemed so insignificant! Those people weren't important. Their opinions didn't matter.

Because love conquered all!

They would understand, one day. Of this, Sakura was sure. And even if they didn't, it would never matter, because he was there, and he loved her back! Locking her gaze with his, she could see it right there in that smile underneath his mask, and in his eyes. Both uncovered. Both watching her with such intesity. Such love. And care. Adoration. Devotion. It was all right there infront of her eyes, so very real, she thought she could grasp at it, yet it would never fit into her hand.

But…

"Double Dynamic Entry? With Gai?" Sakura giggled. "What devil possessed you to humiliate yourself like that, Kakashi?"

He chuckled, and by their closeness it vibrated through her body.

"You better be grateful. Tsunade actually wanted to put me into a green spandex for her own amusement," Kakashi said, and felt her shudder.

An expression of pure horror crossed her face.

"How did you stop her from forcing you?"

A much darker chuckle sent shivers down her spine.

"I asked her, if she really could affort you to see your lover in such clothing."

Sakura blushed deep crimson. Her lover, he had said. They hadn't done anything as of now, yet it felt oddly right for him to call himself that. Her lover. A heat rose in her chest the more she thought about it. Her lover. The term seemed to suit him.

Her lover.

He was hers.

A small smile spread on her features.

"Mind out of the gutter, Sakura-chan." Kakashi laughed lightly as he continued to sway her to the beat, dipping her a little now and again.

Huffing, she slapped his arm.

"Say, Sakura-chan…"

He laughed again, and twirled her once, before guiding her back into his arms.

"I haven't given you your birthday kiss yet, have I?" the Copy Nin asked rather innocently.

Her blush intensified, but she shook her head 'no', anticipation filling her being down to the very core. The butterflies that resided in her stomach, and went on a rampage everytime he was near, let her know then and there that they were still there, making her insides clench pleasantly. She could only imagine the mischievious grin plastered upon his face, seeing as the mask obscurred her vision. She could, however, see his eye close in their usual crinkle, before he winked at her once.

Her breath hitched.

Then his lips were on her in an oh-so soft kiss. The cloth separating them was annoying, but she knew there was no other way for as long as they were on her party, unless she wanted for everyone to see his face. And honestly, she wanted to keep that part of his anatomy all to herself.

'_**As well as some other parts,'**_ _**Inner Sakura reminded her with a smug smirk, and a rather possessive gleam in her eyes.**_

Sakura blushed even further, but instead of replying to her other self, she concentrated on the kiss. It had developed. Kakashi was now moving his lips over her, nibbling at her bottom lip, and gently tracing it with his tongue through the mask, like he would do when they kissed with bare lips against each other, and he wanted her to open her mouth for him. Furrowing her brow in though, she complied. Immediately, she could feel the material of his mask shifting, stretching as his tongue slid into her warm cavern. It was and odd, yet somewhat arounsing feeling to have him within her, so to speak, yet separated from her by that thin layer of dark cloth.

It made her groan into his mouth.

Kakashi welcomed this reaction very much. He had expected it as he wasn't quite new to this type of kissing. All his previous sexual encounters, so taken further than he had gone with Sakura, had always included him wearing his mask. He had never felt safe enough around any woman to drop his antics, as silly as it may sound. Furthermore, those were one night's conquests, he would leave even before the sun had arisen the next morning. Sakura did not belong in the same category as those women. She wouldn't find herself awakening to an empty bed, but to a pair of strong arms around her middle, and a set of lips on her neck.

That is, assuming that they would ever get around to making sweet love…

"Chrm, chrm."

Finally parting, breathing ragged, the two love-birds found the entire hall gaping at them. Their kiss, though passionate, had apparently conveyed their feelings so obviously that not only a few people had felt the need to think about their actions of the previous week. While some still threw them somewhat suspicious, or even a little indignant glances, quite a few people were looking at the floor, ashamed for having jumped to conclusions upon hearing about the involvement of the great Copy Nin, and the Hokage's apprentice.

"Well, Sakura, Kakashi," Tsunade drew their attention to them once more. The two shinobi looked up to their leader. "Of course, there is a snag to this."

Sakura threw her shishou a worried glance. Was this to be the last time they were permitted to see each other? Had Tsunade already made up her mind about what was supposed to happen to Kakashi? Would she skip the whole trial, and just announce the verdict? Would she… have the silver-maned man executed? Fear chilling her to the bone, she tightened her grip on her lover, pressing herself flush against him. Kakashi slid his arms around her, rubbing her back comfortingly, though the same concerns were written all over his masked face.

The crowd was staring at the scene as it unfolded. Everyone waited with baited breath for the Hokage's next words. Wondering if maybe the honey-eyed woman would explain why she had hidden Hatake Kakashi in the Birthday Cake- with Maito Gai, no less- and what was going to happen with the loving pair now. Their friends were praying to all kami that Tsunade did not intent to throw Kakashi into prison, some didn't know what to think or want anymore after witnessing the couples display of affection, and a few others had their mind still set on preserving the old ways.

Meanwhile, one white-haired man in a corner at the very back was smirking, remembering what Tsunade had revealed him, after telling him "I got a plan!" with that smug smirk she always had when she took up a gamble. Normally, that would worry him, considering the woman's luck at gambling, but in this case he understood that it would be the only way to get those two to be together.

"I'll allow you to spend this night together like any normal couple…" Tsunade raised her voice again, picking something from her pocket, and holding it up for everyone to see. "… if you agree on wearing these bracelets. They will disable your chakra, no, more than that. They will completely cut you off from your chakra reserves, so that you can't pull anything funny like… eloping."

Sakura blushed. Had she heard them at the hotsprings?

"If you agree to this condition, you can go do whatever you wish for tonight. I have already ordered the ANBU outside to let you pass if they see you wearing these," the blonde explained further. "So, do you agree?"

Kakashi and Sakura exchanged a look.

"We agree," the Copy Nin answered, while Chihiro began to purr loudly in his pocket. Still being held so close to him, Sakura felt the purr run through her body, and giggled.

"Then come forth."

So they did.

Stepping infront of the Hokage, both Kakashi and Sakura extended their right hands towards the Slug Sannin. The blonde nodded once, before tugging the bracelets to their wrists. Both shinobi could immediately feel the tie that served as connection with their energy being severed. A clean cut. For a moment, both of them felt weakened as if they hadn't gotten enough sleep lately, which in all reality they hadn't. Afterwards it almost felt normal, except for an odd sense of missing. Sakura studied the bracelet, and found it to be quite nice. It didn't look like a chakra inhibitor, but just a normal baby blue bracelet. She then looked at her koi with a worried glance, but he just shrugged, and dragged her back into his embrace.

"If there's nothing else, Hokage-sama?!" Kakashi wonderd aloud.

"Your hearing is tomorrow, Hatake. That will be all. Have a _pleasant_ night, you two. Dismissed."

"Oh, don't worry, we will."

With a hand set firmly on her back, he lead her out the door. Sakura was a little surprised that they left the party, though it was definitely nicer to be alone. Away from all those prying eyes, away from the whispering mouths. To be fair, their friends had been nothing but supportive, and neither did really give a damn about what people said about them, but it still hurt somehow to hear how your loved one is insulted, feel the stares, and see the pointing fingers. The pink-haired girl shook her head free of those thoughts, opting to enjoy her evening with Kakashi instead. They were leisurely strolling through the deserted streets, everyone attending her party, or watching TV at home. Kakashi's arm was placed over her shoulders, keeping her close, their sides touching. She could feel his warmth. Sneaking her own arms around his middle, she rubbed her cheek into his sleeve, relishing in his scent once again. Once she had comfortably settled her head, she found his lips on the top of it, uncovered. Looking up at him from under her thick eyelashes, she noticed he had let the cloth pool around his neck, since nobody was around, and smiled gently down at her.

"Where are we going?"

"We're not going at all."

This answer startled her quite a bit, but she soon realized that he was right. They had indeed stopped. Taking in her surroundings, she let her eyes drift over the clearing. The tall trees of Konoha's forest outlined it's borders, and in the middle she could see three logs standing. A little to the side was a bluish-grey stone. The young woman gasped as she recognized their old training grounds. Kakashi led her to the cenotaph, bowing his head a little infront of it as if asking for forgiveness, then tracing his hand over three names that were carved into it. Uchiha Obito, Namikaze Minato, and Rin. His old teammates. He had never really told Team 7 what bothered him so much that he came here every day he was in Konoha to spend hours infront of the memorial, but he had told them that he mourned his old team and sensei most.

Sakura quickly clapped her hands together in a silent prayer.

"I hope you don't mind. It's just that I didn't get to be here once in the past month, and-"

"It's okay. We can stay her for as long as you want," Sakura replied softly.

Kakashi smiled at her, taking her hands and kissing them both. Then, he laced his fingers through hers, and led them away from the memorial, and into the forest until she found them walking up an old beaten track. Or rather, Kakashi was walking as he had lifted his pink-haired lover into his arms, so that she wouldn't have to ruin her dress. Not to mention that wandering over such tracks in stilettos wasn't exactly high on a woman's list either. She gasped a little when she felt Kakashi's strong arms wrap around her, but welcomed that familiar feeling of a soft glow in her heart. Sakura quickly grasped the front of his jacket, in order not to fall, and so he carried her bridal style, quick steps leading them up a hill.

"There we are," the Copy Nin murmured suddenly.

Opening her eyes after she had just closed them to enjoy his body against hers completely, Sakura saw only sky for a moment. Like a dark blue blanket with tiny white dots on it, it lay over the world. Then her line of sight shifted downwards, over an edge, to see the Village of Konoha peacefully at their feet. Her lips curled into a smile as she watched the ocean of tiny lights below her. It had a strange similarity to the sky above them: Everything was dark except for those yellowish dots in the dark background.

"What do you think?" Kakashi asked, still holding her to his chest tightly.

"It's… wow. I never thought Konoha could be look so beautiful," Sakura said a little breathlessly.

Kakashi chuckled.

The pink-haired woman looked up at him, jade eyes locking with mismatched ones. His gaze was smoldering, it made her melt inside with the intensity of emotion it conveyed while trying not to show any.

'_Same old Kakashi. Can't help, but try to hide his true feelings…'_ Sakura inwardly laughed.

On the outside, however, she did anything but. Her face was serene, as she slid her arms around his neck once again, and pressed her lips to his. Surprised, Kakashi gasped- to his credit, only a little. It was all Sakura needed. She slipped her tongue into his orifice and aloowed it to dance in a rhythm with his own, happy that this time she got to actually feel it without the borthersome cloth of his mask in the way. Kakashi dropped her onto her feet gently, his hands wandering to slide up and down her arms instead, before moving to her waist. He didn't dare go any lower for fear of her reaction, but also his own. To assure that he would not rush ahead of himself, he took her arms from around his neck, and enterwined his hands with her. Squeezing slightly, he made sure to always have a strong grip on them, keeping the in between Sakura and himself.

Meanwhile, Sakura could feel her emotions rush through her, warming her very fibre, sending sparks along her nerve ends, and making it impossible for her to stay quiet. Not that she ever could when being kissed by him. Still, she was surprised at how loud her moans were, even though she tried to keep her voice soft. When his lips left hers, she not-so-silently whined, complaining at the loss. The young medic then felt his mouth wander over her chin, and up her jawline, until he could carefully nibble at her earlobe. Sakura groaned a little. Her ears were so sensitive to the touch of his lips, and when he grazed his teeth over the soft flesh she let out a small cry at the sensation.

Kakashi gave the shell of her ear one last lick, before going back to just holding her in his arms, and kissing her forehead. A little disappointed, yet although relieved, Sakura tugged her head under his chin. Nuzzling her nose into the crook of his neck, she made herself comfortable as she once again wrapped her arms around his torso, and enterwined her fingers. With a soft sigh from the both of them, they just stood there, and watched Konoha from above for a little while, no sounds carrying to their ears through the darkness of the night.

When Kakashi noticed his Sakura shiver, he chuckled and called her silly for not saying something sooner. He quickly led them back to her apartment. Normally, he would have just teleported them, but the bracelet Tsunade fastened around his wrist made that impossible, so he had to go for the second option. Giving her his jacket. Not that he minded, of course. After all, it gave him the opportunity to be her knight in shining armor, and everyone who looked into his eyes at that moment, would have to be completely blind not to notice, how he dearly loved being just that! Letting them both in, and taking of their shoes, he seated her on the couch, insisting that he made tea for the both of them. While the water boiled, the Copy Nin rummaged through the cupboards. He was looking for something to eat with the tea, and soon found the cookies Sakura would always keep ready, because she knew that no matter how much Naruto loved Ramen, he would always, always come by to get his dessert at her place! Chuckling, he opened the box, and put some of the chocolate-chip cookies onto a plate. He was just about to bring them over to Sakura, when a soft "Meow!" reminded him that there was a third presence in the room. He raised his eyebrow at the black kitten as he lifted the little thing from his pocket. He had wondered why it was so quiet the whole time he was with Sakura. Chihiro hadn't complained once, something that, considering their mutual displeasure at knowing each other, he found to be quite odd. Had the kitten accepted his relationship with Sakura suddenly? Was it perhaps trying to be… helpful by not disturbing them? Had the furball maybe even planned this all along?

'_Bah… Don't be ridiculous, Hatake. She's a cat, not a person,'_ his rational side chided him for such thoughts. _'Then again…'_

"Kakashi?" Sakura's voice interrupted his thoughts.

Shaking his head at his strange train of thought, Kakashi quickly set the purring hellcat down, before it would ram it's claws into his hand or something. He knew when those bright yellow eyes looked up at him so innocently, he was in for something soon. He had no intention of waiting what it was going to be, so he placed Chihiro on the kitchen counter, and readied a bowl of cat food and one with water, putting them right infront of her face. Another soft "Meow!" could be heard, before the kitten indulged in her meal. Chancing the little demon one last, suspicious glance, he took two mugs, and the tea pot, and joined Sakura on the living room couch. Handing her a mug, he brushed his fingers against her hand in what would've counted as an accidental caress, if it wasn't for the mischievious look in his eyes, and the sly smile on his face. Sakura flushed a little, but smiled right back at him, sinking back down into the pillows on her couch, and setting her feet into Kakashi's lap. Said man took a few sips of his tea, before he set the mug down again, and took one feet into his hands, gently massaging the pressure points.

Sakura groaned softly at the feeling. She had been startled at first. Since she was ticklish, she had had half a mind to push him away, but one press of his expert hands, and all her worries were forgotten. She felt her whole body relx as his touches continued. As a medic, she knew of course about the pressure point in the human's feet, and had used them on some of her patients quite often in order to make them calm down before an injection, or an exam, or whatever. She had seen their stubborness crumble, an expression of pure bliss sneaking upon their features, and had heard their small moans. She had never experienced it herself, though. You hardly had the time to give yourself massages when working under Tsunade's supervision. She found it to be rather calming indeed, as well as quite pleasureable. She could understand now, why the majority of her patients had come back to seek her out to get another massage, though she had turned them down, what with her busy schedule.

'_Maybe I should make a deal with him to massage his feet everytime he comes to the hospital when injured, if he waits to leave until the medics say he can…'_ Sakura silently mused, looking at Kakashi.

He caught her gaze.

"They tried that already," he said, seeing what she was pondering. "As good as a foot massage is, it can't compare to all the things I dislike about hospitals. But it was a nice try, anyway."

"Yeah, but those medics weren't me," Sakura replied slyly. "Maybe if I give you a massage, it's different."

"Hm, interesting offer. Got to think about that some time," the silver-haired jounin admitted, taking another sip of his tea. "But not now."

He smiled at her, and took her half-empty mug out o her hands. Then he proceeded to cover her body with his, caressing her neck with butterfly kisses, before moving to the side, so that she could snuggle into his chest. Which Sakura did. Kakashi took great satisfaction at the contented sigh that escaped her red lips, the way she nuzzled the crook of his neck, and how she inhaled deeply for a few times as if drugged on his scent. He encircled her with his arms, their legs entangled for the lack of space on the couch, though neither really minded, and his face hidden in her pink locks.

He could get used to this.

**3333333333333333333333333333333**

"And now tell me again that he is in this only because of lust, and that she is just trying to get a promotion out of this," a stern voice drifted over the rooftops from where it's owner stood on the other side of the street. "She's already jounin, and ANBU, anyway. What kind of promotion could she possibly get from him now. If it were just that, she would've left him by now. And if it were nothing but lust, I would imagine to see a mass of tangled, **naked** limps on that couch, or the bed."

The samll crowd of older people stood silent.

"You could've warned them," one spoke up.

"Your ANBU were there when I informed Hatake that he would make it to Sakura's party," the first voice argued. "And besides, do you think I'm happy? Do you think I wanted her to fall for the perverted Copy Nin? No! Sakura is like a daughter to me, and I wanted for her to find someone that will give her everything she needs, and deserves. Definitely not Kakashi. I'm not happy about this at all."

"Then why?" they asked.

"Because they're happy like this. I mean, just look at them. I've never seen the brat so content with his life, and Sakura's eyes never held such sparkle. As much as I hate that it is his doing, I don't want to take it from her. And I will not let it be taken by others."

The underlining threat was quite obvious.

The group went silent again

**End of chapter 25!**

**A/N: Well, that was Sakura's Birthday. Next up is the hearing. How will it go? Will the Council accept Kakashi and Sakura? Will they lock our favorite Copy Nin up? And what do others think, really?  
Wait and see!**


	26. Love or no Love?

**_Kiss Me Goodnight_**

**KakaSaku**

**Chapter** **26: Love or no Love?**

"So, how did it go?" Ino asked, almost falling off her seat with all her uncomfortable hifting.

She was looking up at her pink-haired friend expectantly as the other young woman approached her table. They had agreed to meeting up in one of the local cafes as soon as Sakura was dismissed, so she could tell the blonde everything that had gone on behind the closed doors of the courtroom. The Elders had decided that it was better to keep the matter as quiet as possible until a final judgement was given. Nobody had access to the lawsuit, unless he or she was directly involved, and even then access was granted only for a limited amount of time. The only exception of this was Hatake Kakashi himself, of course, seeing as he was the defendant.

Sakura shrugged. Sighing, she allowed herself to fall into her seat, form slumped, almost defeated. Judging by her facial expression something had gone wrong, very wrong. She didn't look heartbroken, so obviously the decision had not been made yet. But her face was worried, and frightened as if she was expecting the worst. Her emerald eyes seemed dull, her bubble gum strands not quite so pink anymore. The young medic was biting her lip, uncertain. Afraid of something.

"What happened?"

"I've given my testimony- I was the last to do so- and-"

"Oh no, don't tell me they…"

"No… Not yet, anyway. They haven't decided yet, but the way they looked at me, looked at Kakashi… Oh, Ino, I think they're just looking for a reason to!" Sakura choked out, raising her hands to her face as tears started to well up. She didn't want to cry. She really didn't. Didn't want to be so weak anymore, but she couldn't help it. She loved Kakashi, and by the looks of it, the Elders wanted to destroy it all.

The way they had been scrutinizing her during hr evidence…

"Sssh, it's alright. Everything is going to be just fine," Ino said, trying to calm her friend. She moved closer to the crying woman, and hugged her tightly, rubbing her hands over her back comfortingly. But while soothing words fell from her mouth without much effort, inside the Yamanaka heiress raged a storm. There as this minor factor that she didn't really know if everything would turn out well for her friend. More than anything else, however, she felt the distinct need to wring the Council's necks.

'_How can they do this to her? The bastards! They've tried to hook Kakashi-sens… sempai up for years!'_ she thought digustedly about what her father had told her mother once, while a younger Ino had been eavesdropping. _'And now that he actually found someone he cares for deeply, they want to separate them… Stuck-up jerks! Kakashi-sen… sempai doesn't deserve this. Sakura doesn't deserve this! Oh, if only I could get my hands on them! I'd make them see the light, if it's the last thing I'd do. Grrr!'_

"Don't you worry, Sakura," she assured the trembling medic. "If they separate you, may the gods rest their souls, because I'll personally-"

"No, Ino!"

Surprised by the outburst, the blonde turned her head to her friend.

"Please, don't get into trouble with them!" Sakura pleaded with her. "I don't want you hurt, please."

Emerald orbs locked gazes with blue ones. Pleading with determined. Tearful with hard. The Flower Girl tightened her hold around the pink-haired Cherry Blossom, but didn't answer. Sakura pleaded with her a little longer, and finally Ino gave in, nodding. However, both knew that it wasn't a promise to count on. Sakura knew that Ino knew that Sakura knew that Ino would make good on her threat anyway. And judging by her personality she would probably not do it alone, thus endangering her other friends as well. And, let's be honest, those friends would gladly help her!

Konoha's Rookie Nine and Team Gai- except for Lee who was still in hospital, and didn't know anything about it yet- and Kakashi's jounin buddies had been nothing but supportive of the relationship between the young medic and the famous Copy Nin. Maybe they had found it a little awkward at first too when they were informed, but they had adapted rather quickly, and wished them happiness. Since then, their friends had helped them in any way they could, going as far as hunting down whoever said a bad word about them, and beating them to a bloody pulp.

As a medic, Sakura had had to heal quite a lot of these people, but they never dared say a word again!

Sakura had thought it was sweet, but now it could get her friends into trouble.

And she couldn't, wouldn't be the cause of that.

"Ino, please!" she tried again.

"…"

"Ino, no. You can't… you mustn't… Please, Ino, be reasonable."

"I'm being very reasonable. If they hurt you, I'll hurt them. That not reasonable enough for you?" the blonde hissed angrily, and Sakura would've felt quite rejected, if she hadn't known that her friend's tone was directed at the Council.

"Ino!"

"Sakura!" the blonde talked back.

Sakura groaned. She knew Ino. This could go on forever, and the blonde wouldn't budge. Normally, it was Sakura who gave in in the end, but this time she couldn't affort to do so. Ino could get into serious trouble with her rebellious nature this time. She couldn't let that happen. Ino was her best friend, and then there were all her other friends that would probably help her through it all. She couldn't risk having them all thrown into jail, or demoted back to Academy Students on her account. She would not let her teammates get hurt, not even if they wanted to so badly. They were not going to take the hit aimed at her. This was her burden to bear, not theirs. If the worst would actually happen, she would take it like a man… well, woman, and she would take it on her own!

She sighed, exasperated.

"Ino…" Sakura started out again, but was interrupted.

"Look," the Yamanaka suddenly whispered to her, indicating to the other side of the street with her gaze.

"What is it?" Sakura asked tiredly, directing her own emerald gaze towards the point Ino was looking at.

And froze.

There, at the end of a small, dark alleyway the girls could make out five shadowy figures, all dressed in black leather with nails on it. Four males, and one female, leaning coolly against the walls. Narrowing her eyes, Sakura noticed that they were wearing sunglasses as well, but were undoubtedly looking over to them. Frowning a little, Konoha's Cherry Blossom gasped, once she came to realized who these people were.

"Those are…"

"Gang members," Ino confirmed.

"But what do they want from us?"

_**'Not Ino, just us!' her Inner answered her, growling.**_

'_What do you mean?'_

_**'Don't you remember? Konoha hs an increasing problem with civilian gangs-'**_

'_What's that got to do with-'_

_**'Patience!' her Inner Self admonished. 'Remember how every other male tried to grope us, once we came back?'**_

'_Yeah…Oh. You mean… Eww!'_

**_'I reckon they think of us as public property, too. The bastards!'_**

"Sakura? Are you alright?" Ino's voice drifted over to her suddenly.

"Wha- oh, yes! Yes, I'm fine," Sakura assured her friend, when suddenly her gaze fell on her watch. "But what about you? Shouldn't you be over, enjoying the BBQ with your team right now?"

"And leave you alone with these…these…thugs? No way in hell!" Ino protested, giving her a stern, and quite offended look.

"Ino, they're civilians. I can sent them flying through a set of trees…" Sakura tried to calm the Flower Girl down, but the shocked expression on the blonde's face made her stop. Had she said something wrong? Well, maybe she was a bit harsh about how she would treat those guys, but it shouldn't have shocked Ino so much. So, Sakura began to wonder if there was something else to it.

"You mean you don't know?" Ino asked. "I mean, it did happen during your time in Moon Country, but I thought…"

"What?"

"There has been a burglary at the hospital. It's supposed to have been commited by one of the gangs around here, and…well, of course they didn't come for money, I mean, it's a hospital after all. They stole some medicine, peobably to patch up their comrades who had been injured during another one of their street fights."

"Ino, I don't see, how this is important for-"

"They also stole some chakra inhibitors. You know, the old ones. Not the bracelets, the drugs."

Dead silence.

"…I'm still a kunoichi, though. I can take care of myself, even without chakra. And there's just five of them. Not to mention that I hardly believe they'll try anything in broad daylight, and on one of the main roads."

"Still…" Ino wasn't convinced.

"Don't you worry, Ino. I'll be fine. Go, enjoy your Team BBQ." Sakura smiled gently.

"…Why don't you come with me?" Ino tried.

"Nah, I promised Kakashi I'd wait here for him. They allow us to see each other until they make their final decision at least. Therefore, I want to spend as much time with him as possible… He'll be here soon. Don't worry. Nothing will happen."

Ino looked quite concerned for another moment, then her eyes drifted sideways, and her face lit p. With an "Oh, definitely!" she waved over at someone behind Sakura, beckoning him to come join them. As Sakura turned around, she was met by a tall, blonde man, his light blue eyes rather hard. An eyebrow was raised at them, while Ino instructed her father to sit down, and wait with Sakura until "Kakashi-se…mpai" would arrive. She hugged Sakura one more time, before making her way away from the café.

Sakura waved at her friend one last time, before she disappeared behind a corner.

"She's out of sight now, Inoichi-san. You can leave. I'm sure you have more important things to do then-" the pink-haired girl started out, but was interrupted as her cell phone made itself notice. "A second, please. Yes?… Huh?… O-okay… It's for you."

With that, she held the phone out for Ino's father to take. The blonde man raised an eyebrow quizzically, but stretched out his arm to take the object from her hand. It proved to be unnecessary as the person calling would already speak her mind before Inochi's fingers so much as brushed against the cell phone.

"And Dad, if you leave before Kakashi-sen…pai is there, and something happens to Sakura, I'm never going to talk to you again, am I understood?" Ino's voice asked gruffily.

The next sound was a long 'tuuuuut'.

Inoichi scowled, but remained seated.

"I'm sorry, Inoichi-san, if you feel like you're stuck with me now. But I'm sure Kakashi won't take long anymore." Sakura smiled politely at him.

"I will not lie to you, Sakura," Yamanaka suddenly spoke up. "I was against this from the very beginning. A student and a teacher should, no matter how much time passes, always remain just that. We give our children into their care for them to learn how to defend themselves, and as a parent I don't want to have to worry about whether or not my daughter will be safe around her teacher. That's why, for whatever reason you're in this, I think you're wrong."

His gaze rested on hers, challenging her to say something.

"You don't have to worry about Ino. She has her eyes set on someone her own age, Inoichi-san."

The blonde man blinked, surprised. Apparently, he hadn't known this little bit of information about his daughter.

"As for why I'm in this," Sakura continued a little colder. "I love him. It's as simple as that."

Inoichi snorted.

Sakura raised an eyebrow.

"You practically still a child. Do you even know what love is, girl?"

"…Fair question, I suppose," Sakura replied icily, then suddenly smirked. Inoichi was startled. "Okay, then. You're older, more experienced. And married. You surely know what love is, so you tell me."

Ino's father blinked, confusion flooding his sky blue eyes.

"I feel warm and fuzzy, whenever Kakashi is around, and I feel a smile tug at my lips when I think of him. I feel an electric jold fun through me when we touch, and I feel like floating when we kiss. I feel safe, and cared for in his embrace, or when I snuggle in to him under the blanket-" At this point Inoichi scowl returned. "-and I could just lie listening to his heartbeat happily forever. I feel special when he smiles at me, especially when he is not wearing his cloth-mask-" This seemed to surprise the Yamanaka as it was known that Kakashi never removed his mask. "- and I feel like dancing in the rain when I look up into his eyes, and see the softness with which he looks at me."

She paused for a moment, her gaze focused on something in the distance, her jade eyes sparkling.

"I will not deny that I want him, because I do. And there's nothing wrong with that, or bad about it. It is normal for a man, and a woman to notice the other's body, and find it to be attractive. And Kakashi is very, very, very attractive under all those baggy clothes, and his mask. Do not worry, though. I will not rush into this relationship, because that could ultimately destroy it, and I want it to last. To last for as long as either of us lives, and hopefully beyond that."

She turned her head back to her best friend's father, smiling.

"Now, tell me, Inoich-san. Why am I in this?"

"… You… you two have never…" He made a few not very helpful gestures with his hand, not knowing how to ask. Sakura got his idea, anyway. She blushed, a little embarrassed that yet another person- and again a member of the Yamanaka Clan- would ask her about that aspect of her and Kakashi's relationship. "You didn't… yet…"

"No," came the calm response from behind Sakura.

Looking up, they found none other than Hatake Kakashi himself standing behind his younger lover.

"I thought to give it the time I needed for the appropriate courtship."

Sakura gasped. Inoichi's jaw hung open.

"Co-cou-courtship? You mean you…"

"Intend to spent the rest of my life with her? Yes. No matter how short that might be, I want her to be part of it as more than just my former student, teammate, and friend. If that will be all, Inoichi-san? I'd like to ask you to look after Sakura for another few minutes, while I deal with those little pests over there," Kakashi replied smoothly, squeezing Sakura's shoulder gently, before moving to cross the street. The two other shinobi watched in awe as he dealt with civilian brats who had been spying on his little Cherry Blossom, and though Sakura knew she'd have to treat them in hospital, she really didn't mind the extra work. Nobody told her, on whom to use the healing methods that involved chakra, after all.

**3333333333333333333333333**

"I don't like this!"

The sunny day of Hatake Kakashi's hearing found the Hokage once again pacing in her office- after the hearing ended, of course- infront of her porn-writing, white-haired friend, and fellow Sannin. Her heels clicked over the wooden ground, one finger tugging at her lower lip as she mulled everything over in her mind. The other hand was placed on her hip, fingers tapping against the bone. Meanwhile, Jiraya sat on the couch, watching his blonde comrade working herself up over something she hadn't told him yet.

"I don't like this!"

"Yes, you've been saying that for the past hour. If you don't want to add anything else, I'll go. There is some research I need to be doing and-" He got up.

Big mistake!

"Sit!"

"Tsunade…"

"S.I.T."

Jiraya sighed, but sat down again. Once he was seated, she resumed her pacing.

"I don't like this!"

"Yeah, we covered that already."

Tsunade glared at him. Jiraya held his arm up in defence. He had lost the other in battle against the Akatsuki.

"I don't-"

"Not again," the white-haired man groaned.

"I don't believe they'll decide anytime soon," Tsunade growled.

"Huh?"

"I think they're trying to push the moment in which they'll have to decide further and further away."

"Why would they do that?"

"What do I know?!"

"You're the Hokage," the Toad Sannin reminded her.

"Exactly. So, naturally, the Elders never tell me anything," Tsunade replied.

Jiraya sweat-dropped.

"Maybe they want to watch them a little longer," he suggested. "To see, if they slip. If they make a mistake that would allow them to separate them."

Tsunade looked at him for a moment, apparently thinking it through. Then she resumed pacing.

"I don't like this!"

Jiraya groaned, again. This would be one long evening…

**End of chapter 26!**

**A/N: Ah, what are the Elders plotting? Will Kakashi and Sakura ever be left in peace? Only I know, and I'm not willing to share- yet! ;)**


	27. Second First Date

**_Kiss Me Goodnight_**

**KakaSaku**

**Chapter 27: Second First Date**

"You do realize this is all just a plot by the Elders?" Kakashi asked as they walked down the street.

"You mean us being allowed to see each other?" Sakura queried, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah…"

"Of course. I mean, it was kinda obvious." She grinned up at him. "Them being completely against us having even the slightest contact with each other, and then suddenly agreeing that we could spent time together freely?! I mean, come on, that has written 'Secret Plot' all over it."

A giggle escaped her.

"But I can't say I mind," the pink-haired medic admitted, grinning like an idiot.

Kakashi chuckled.

"Me neither."

Setting another one of her happy giggles he loved so much free, she hooked an arm around his own, and pressed herself into his side. His hands that were in his pockets clenched into fists as he fought the urge to just grab her, and envelop her small frame in a one of his few bear-hugs. Sighing, however, he didn't. They were already getting enough unwanted attention by just showing up somewhere together. They really didn't need any more whispers of it, because of some innocent display of affection that would be interpreted the wrong way. Whatever kept the Elders from just saying 'no', they couldn't risk giving them a reason. So, instead of gathering his beloved in his arms, or crush his lips- covered or not- to hers, Kakashi just remained passive as he enjoyed her closeness.

"How about we go back to that tea house?" Sakura piped up. "We never got to finish our first real date, did we?"

The silver-haired jounin looked at her, stunned by her suggestion. Not that he would mind, quite the contrary, actually. He had played with the thought of repeating their first date as well, but he had never dared to bring it up, because he feared the thought of returning to that place would scare her. He had just always imagined that he would just take her for some tea and dango somewhere else to avoid reminding her of her bad experieces at that particular tea house, but she obviously didn't hold any 'grudges' against that place. Apparently concerned, because he didn't answer, she looked up to him with her jade eyes, searching his face for any signs of disapproval.

Kakashi cleared his throat.

"Are you… uh, I mean, are you sure?" he wanted to know from her.

Sakura's brows furrowed.

_'Why would he ask that? I loved that place, and I loved being there with him. Why would I not want to go there to… Hey, Inner Me, do you think he's concerned about what happened last time?'_

**_'It's the most likely scenario. After all, last time really didn't go all that well,' Inner Sakura replied thoughtfully._**

_'But I haven't had a fit in two weeks.'_

_**'So what? It's not like that means anything. Just because you don't have them every day, doesn't mean you don't have them at all anymore,' her Inner warned. 'And let's not forget that you actually did have one there, so of course he's concerned.'**_

_'Oh, isn't that just sweet?'_

_**'Well, of course. He's been nothing but sweet this entire time.'**_

_'True. I still can't believe this is happening!'_ Sakura thought delightedly.

_**'I can believe that just fine. Then again, I've always been the smarter one…' Inner Sakura snickered.**_

_'You're me, so you are as smart as I am. If anything I'm the smarter one, because I actually live the experieces.'_

_**'That may be true, but aren't you forgetting something?'**_

_'What would that be?'_ Sakura challenged.

_**'I'm practically your supconscious, so I know all the things your conscious form- you- tunes out!' Inner Sakura smirked triumphantly.**_

_'Grr!'_

"Sa-ku-ra?… Sakura, are you still in there ?" Kakashi's amused voice yanked her back into reality.

"Huh?"

"Oh, so you are still there. For a moment I was worried you've been sitting in the sun for too long, and your brain got fried," the older jounin said a tad too seriously for the medic's liking.

"What?!" she growled at him.

"You just zoned out on me as if all conscious thought had slipped from you. I admit, I was a bit worried, but then…" He trailed off.

"But then?" Sakura prompted.

"Then I saw it, and knew what had happened."

"You do?" the pink-haired girl asked, confused. He couldn't know about her Inner Self.

_**'Of course he doesn't know about me, baka, he's just making fun of you.'**_

_'Shut up, you!'_ her Outer Self shot back.

"Yeah when I saw your glazed-over eyes I just figured it… But really Sakura, a heavily travelled street in broad daylight is not the best place to let the ideas of what you'd like to do with me- or to me- roam free in your pretty little head," Kakashi said, smirking.

What the hell?!

"What?! I did no such thing! How can you- how dare you- you- I- no way!" Sakura was stuttering helplessly, and Kakashi seemed in no mood to help her out. Actually, he looked like he was enjoying her little raging session, if his creased eyes were any indication. "Oh, you! You baboon, you-"

She apruptly stopped, once she noticed that they had come to a halt; and just where. They were standing infront of the very tea house, she had suggested they go. The building itself was rather large, though not very high as it had only one floor. The roof were made of ebony wood, and held in a traditional chinese fashion. The outer walls were snow-white, but had been decorated with complicated patterns in a strangely dark orange tone. Above the entrance a phoenix, and a dragon were painted, looking at the potential customers with a pair of eitther forest green, or amber eyes.

"So, are you sure?" Kakashi asked again.

"… Yeah, I am," she answered him, anger immediately fading at the concern in his voice.

He led her in, and asked for a compartment. The elderly woman at the receiption seemed somewhat reluctant to allow them the privacy of a room, seeing the rumors that had been going around. The woman was obviously torn between her own set of moralities, and the fact that you could hardly turn away paying customers, especially when they were high-ranking shinobi. Her piercing gaze scrutinized them for a long few minutes. Her mouth was closed, but moving somehow as if she was holding back a lot of things she would like to throw at their faces, but again that wasn't an option with two jounin standing infront of her, an old woman, weakening more with every day by now. In the end, she let them to one of the rooms where the window faced the busy street, instead of the inner courtyard that was designed as a beautiful garden. She was probably thinking that with so many people passing by, and being able to look at them any moment, they wouldn't try anything 'gross'.

"Old fart," Sakura snorted, disgustedly the second the door had slid shut behind her.

"Now, now, Sakura-chan, that is no way to talk about your elders," Kakashi reprimanded her softly.

"Oh, but it's true, and you know it! Haven't you seen how she looked at us?"

"It was rather unfriendly, yes."

"Unfriendly?!" Sakura let a humorless laugh escape her lips. Kakashi's eyes were instantly focused on those soft, luscious, pink- "That must be the understatement of the centruy. All those words she was chewing on, Kakashi! She probably thought I was some kind of Lolita! And she looked at you as if she wanted to scream "scoundrel" at your face, because she has her nose too high up in the air to use other words, if not in the back of her mind!"

"Sakura, you shouldn't bother yourself thinking about such things," Kakashi told her calmly. "I mean, really, what did you expect?"

"They weren't like this the last time."

"The last time, they just thought I was being the nice teacher, inviting my students to tea for her passed medical exam, or something. This time I am the bad teacher who-"

"Robbed the cradle?" the young woman asked with a mischevious smile.

"Yes," Kakashi answered simply, though judging by the tired sigh, he was a little frustrated himself.

Sakura stood from her place, and moved around the low table, until she came to a hald before him. He looked up at her, his droopy gaze tired, and irritated. She let herself fall back down on her knees, so that she was facing him. One hand came up to cup his cheek, and Kakashi immediately took advantage of that by snuggling his masked face into her hand. Sakura giggled softly. It was like music to his ears. He closed his eyes, both the exposed one, and the sharingan hiding behind his headband, and sighed slightly. This time in satisfaction of feeling her thumb gently caress his skin. He felt her shift, and lean forward, setting one hand atop his thigh for leverage as she pressed her lips to the uncovered part of his cheek tenderly.

Then, she leant back.

"Well, you did not," Sakura said firmly. "I am not a child anymore."

"You're not an adult, either, and I can't help but feel a little… guilty once in a while, like I am stealng your youth by-"

"Don't." She silenced him by putting the tips of her fingers over his lips. "Don't ever think that, Kakashi. I may not legally be an adult, but I'm much more mature than most adults are. I am a kunoichi, and a jounin. I have been considered an adult for two years now, and besides: If I'm old enough to kill, I'm old enough to have a lover, don't you agree?"

She smirked at him.

He would've answered, but then they heard a crash from outside their door. Apparently, the waitress with the tea had been eavesdropping, and because of what she heard found herself unable to hold onto the tray any longer. Kakashi sighed, kissed Sakura's fingers, and squeezed her hand gently, before getting up to help the woman just outside their door. When he oppened, a flood of apologies reached their ears, while the poor waitress scrabled back slightly, frightened by what the masked Copy Nin might do to her for listening in on their private conversation like this. Said shinobi had no intention of harming her, but knowing that she would hardly believe that, he simply set about aiding her at picking up the broken cups. Once everything was back in order- more or less, anyway- he sent her off with the request for some new tea, preferably in cups as he, and his 'koi' had no intentions to lap the green liquid up from the floor.

Sighing again, he re-entered the room.

"Now, there was no need for that last comment," Sakura told him, but the fits of giggles that got to her every few breaths betrayed her amusement.

"Everything to make you laugh," Kakashi retorted with an exaggerated bow towards her.

This set her off again, mad giggles spilling from her mouth as she fell back onto the floor. Holding her stomach with one hand, and biting down on the other to calm herself down, she was too distracted to hear him move. So, when he put one of the pillows, they were supposed to be sitting on, beneath her head, and pinned her down with the weight of his body, she was completely taken aback. Realizing what he was doing, she squirmed underneath him, struggling to get free.

"Why the hurry to get away from me? I thought you enjoyed me touching you," Kakashi asked, pretending, quite well, to be hurt.

"There are people outside," Sakura replied, before her breath hitched as his masked lips began nibbling on her earlobe.

"The waitress won't be back for another five to seven minutes."

"I didn't mean the waitress," the pink-haired woman pressed out.

"Oh?" the older man asked as if oblivious.

"The people on the street, baka!" she tried to reason with him, really, she did, but she doubted that the breathless tone of her voice convinced him very much. Not to mention the other ways her body responded to this simple gesture. There was no way he missed all those tell-tale signs of her pleasure.

And indeed, he didn't.

"You don't sound all that concerned," his hot breath ghosted over her throat as he spoke, moving his lips to kiss her jawline. "And the way your back arches underneath me, and allows me to feel your body flush against mine contradicts your words as well. The way your pulse races, and your breaths come out in pants, if they don't hitch on their way through your deliscious neck… All these things make me believe that you actually enjoy what I'm doing to you! You can hardly tell me that you really want me to stop?!"

"You're right, I don't," Sakura admitted. "But we're in a tea house, and-" she lowered her voice to be nothing more than a whisper then "- the Elders are probably spying on us-"

"Why not give them something to spy on?" Kakashi chuckled.

"Because that would just give them a reason!" Sakura said firmly. "I don't want to lose you, Kakashi!"

"Relax, I have no intention of giving them a reason to separate us. I'll admit I do want you in that way, but more than anything I want your heart… I just want to cuddle a little, is that too much to ask for?" the silver-haired man wanted to know, looking at her with his best puppy-dog eye.

'_Curse the man, and his cute-eyes!'_ Sakura swore inwardly, as she felt herself melting at the sight. _'Shouldn't I be immune to it by now? With all the times he used that to have us pay his sake, or Ramen, oir whatever-it-was?!'_

_**'It's just so cute, you can't resist it. Ever.' Inner Sakura sighed dreamily.**_

'_Oh great, now even my Other Self is mush.'_

_**'Not mush. Putty. Putty in his hands. His large, calloused, talented-'**_

'_Yeah, yeah, I get the idea! Thanks. Now stop those thoughts!'_

_**'Prude!' her Inner accused.**_

_'I'm not! I… I want to do_ that _with Kakashi…eventually. But certainly not before the Elders just let us be, and those thoughts could lead onto dangerous ground. I can't lose him, do you understand? I can't!'_

**_'Yes, I do. Now, attention back on reality, girl!' Inner Sakura ordered._**

"Sakura?"

"Fine!" she grumbled as she came out of her reverie. "At home, we can cuddle all you want, but not here."

"Sounds fair," Kakashi muttered, nuzzling her neck one more time, before getting off of her. They straightened their clothes, before Sakura walked back around the table to sit. Just in time, too, it seemed, as the compartment door was opened a mere second later to reveal a still very flushed waitress with their second tray of tea. She set it down onto the table, placed the cups infront of them, and served the tea. All the while she didn't once dare look at either of them. Sakura might have felt some sympathy for the poor woman, if it wasn't for the invasion of their privacy earlier. As soon as she was done, the waitress left in a hurry, looking up for the first time. Her gaze was not angry, or disgusted as Sakura would've imagined. Instead, it was longing, yearning, and held something deep and primal as she took the male jounin in hungrily.

Sakura growled in a way that conveyed: "Mine, bitch! Hands off!!"

The waitress locked eyes with the pink-haired medic for a second, and both women's gazes were colder than Snow Country blizzards.

Kakashi chuckled lightly.

"Possessive much?"

3333333333333333333333333333333333

'After enjoying their tea and a few dango, Kakashi and Sakura had made their way home. Not without paying, and another head-on staring match between the Cherry Blossom and the blunt waitress, of course. The Copy Nin had simply shook his head at his lover, and called her silly for actually getting riled up at such a small thing, when he had only eyes for her, anyway. Sakura had immediately explained to him that it wasn't nothing to women when some other stared at 'their man' like he was some ox at an auction.

"And I guess I am **your** man, huh?" he had asked, still laughing.

Sakura had blushed furiously, but had given a firm nod.

"Unless you don't want to be with me anymore…" she had added in an afterthought.

Kakashi had just taken her hand in his, and pulled her to him, until her head was against his ribcage, and his arm tightly around her. They had walked back to her apartment, where Sakura had done what she had promised him to do. She had sat him down on the couch, before placing herself in between his open legs, and snuggle up into him. The blush that had already coloured her cheeks flared up a little more at her bold behaviour. Kakashi laughed heartily, nuzzling the side of her neck as he guided her head to rest on his shoulder. He had then slipped down his mask, and kiss the spot just underneath her ear, before burrying his face into her hair, eyes closed in relaxation.'

"…I'd say, that was about it. After that, we left," Yamanaka Inoichi finished his report to the Elders. "Or do you have something to add, Nara? Akimichi?"

His two teammates shook their heads, still somewhat baffled.

"And your personal impression?" one of the Elders asked.

"I have talked to the girl, and though I still can't approve of this relationship, I have come to realize that she really does love him," Inoichi answered after a short moment of thoughtful silence.

"And from what we've seen and heard today, he cares for her very deeply," Shikaku muttered in agreement.

"They look like a happy couple," Chouza added.

The Elders looked pensive.

"The Council shouldn't destroy what they have."

**End of chapter 27!**

**A/N: Ah, I've always wanted to let them finish this date, there just never was the perfect opportunity. But now, I could finally indulge the hopeless romantic in my soul. I hope you enjoyed it. So, what do you think: Are the Elders convinced? Will they finally give up, and let Kakashi and Sakura be?**

Please leave a review! Thanks!!


	28. Out and About

**_Kiss Me Goodnight_**

**KakaSaku**

**Warnings: ... uh...Lime, possibly...**

**Chapter 28: Out and About**

"Does that mean I have to take protection with me at any given time?" he teased.

The rosy blush staining her cheeks intensified. Almost laughing out loud- almost, because the Copy Nin does not normally laugh- he watched as his little Cherry Blossom started fideting with her fingers in a very Hinata-like way. A firm grip on her upper arm, he led her through the crowds down the street, since she was suddenly studying the dirty ground as if it were the most interesting thing. He let his thumb on her arm run a few lazy circles over her skin, and noticed how she bit her lip. How she would look at anything except for him. A smirk made itself known on his features. A smirk of pure male satisfaction at havin such an effect on his pink-haired medic.

"Do…Don't worry, I g-got it cov-covered," he heard her mumble.

Surprise settled in immediately. He had expected her to slap his arm, and call him a pervert. This reaction was completely uncharacteristic for Sakura. Then again, she had been exposed to his company and his teasing for qite a while, so maybe it was to be expected that she got better at handling it. He thought it to be quite intresting. She was cute when she was all flustered, and now she was most definitely flustered. He found he was curious as to how far he could take this little game.

His smirk grew.

"So you plan to jump me as soon as we reach your apartment, then?"

Sakura paled.

"No!" she screeched. "I didn't mean it like that. I just- I meant- It was- I…"

Even though he missed her blush, her stuttering more than made up for it. Apparently, she wasn't able to string a sentence together when put under the pressure of sexual implications. He couldn't help the mirth filling his gaze as he watched her fight with her tongue to get the right words out. She was positively rambling, and he liked every damn minute of it. He was almost sorry when she finally explained that she meant that she had been taking birth control ever since she became chunin.

"So you see… Ah, we are there!" the pink-haired woman suddenly announced, breathing a sigh of relief.

Looking up, he saw that, yes, they had reached her apartment building. When he felt her pull on his arm, he realized that he had been standing still. Sakura dragged him inside, and seate him on the couch, but instead of joining him today, she walked over into the kitchen. She had said she would cook them a home-made meal to celebrate. Kakashi smiled. He had offered to invite her to dinner, promising at her suspicious gaze that he would pay, but she had insisted that with all the things he had done for her, it was about time she gave him something in return. She had also said that she had wanted to cook for him for some time now. Kakashi didn't know wether to excited or frightened.

As a genin, her cooking skills had been horrible…

The silver-haired man lifted his gaze to watch her as she set to work, her lithe form moving around the kitchen. Stretching to reach the higher-up cupboards, and bending over the counter once in a while. And as much as he tried, he couldn't help but let his gaze wander over her firm rear once in a while. Or her long legs that were practically left bare by her outfit. Over the small of her back.

Sighing, he stood up…

**Flashback**

_(Earlier that day)_

_The room, no, the entire building was full of people. It seemed as if the whole village had dropped everything they had currently been doing to witness this. The seats behind and above them were all occupied by friends and colleagues and civilians. Many stood in the middlecourse. People were even standing in the hallways, jumping up and down to get a glimpse of what was going on inside. Infront of them were the Hokage and the Elders, grim looks on their faces._

_This didn't look good, and that was enough for some villagers to smirk at them._

_Snuggling deeper into Kakashi's navy blue sweater, she inhaled his scent deeply. In case it was the last time that she could do so. Tears welled up in her eyes as she gripped onto the soft fabric tightly. His strong arms that had hung loosely around her waist till now, came up to encircle her back, one hand on her shoulder to pull her into him. Until her face rested against his chest, just above his heart. It's strong beat calmed her rising panic, but could not surpress the fear, could not soothe her nerves._

_She looked up at him._

_His eyes never left the Hokage. A hand came u to caress her cheek softly, but his gaze did not falter. He tugged her head into the crook of his neck once she calmed down enough, and squeezed her gently, but his head never turned towards her. He focused his attention on the Elders and the Hokage, all of whom began to fidget under his intense stare sooner or later. His headband had been disregarded on her coffee table as they had spent another night lying cuddled together on her couch. The tomoe in his blood-red eye spun lazily as he watched the Godaime clear her throat, and stand up._

"Well?" _he inquired._

_Immediately, the room went dead silent. It seemed that people didn't even dare breath. Sakura turned her head slightly, so she could see the crowd. There were those who disapproved, of course, chancing them disgusted and angry glances. Then there were those who didn't know what to think of them anymore. Those were only looking for a decision to go by. And then there were their friends. She could see Ino glaring at the Elders, Naruto and Kiba squeeze their thumbs (1), Tenten stepped nervously from one foot onto another, Neji had to endure Hinata's worst death-grip on his arm, Temari was berating Shikamaru in hushed tone for his apparent lack of interest, Chouji was eating more rapidly than ever, and the rest of Team 7 plus Yamato stood behind them, outwardly calm, inwardly anything but._

_For a moment Sakura wondered where Lee was. She hadn't heard anything from him so far. Then she remembered that he was still in his hospital, and quite probably unconscious. She bit her lip. She wasn't sure what his reaction would be like. He had always had a thing for her, and when she had turned Sasuke down after he returned, he had gotten his hopes up high again. She didn't know how he would take this. Sure, he had Gai now, and rumor mill had it that they were pretty close (Ironical how noone seemed to care when it came to those two, though they too had been teacher and student. Did it really matter that much that Kakashi and her could…have kids?) but Lee still pined over her, and just wouldn't understand that she wasn't interested in him like that._

_The Godaime cleared her throat._

"The Elders and I have come to a decision regarding your relationship which is clearly taboo as stated in §§ 172-"

"Cut to the point Hokage-sama," _Kakashi demanded._

"…Very well. We have come to the conclusion that you may be allowed to see each other, but if there is one more complaint about your behaviour I will have you separated for good. Clear?"

"Yes, Hokage-sama."

"Yes, shishou."

"However, it has to be a reasonable complaint. If someone lies to me trying to get these two separated, he or she will be extremely sorry," _the honey-eyed woman threatened._

_A few of the villagers gulped. Apparently, they had already made plans._

"Furthermore, this Council acknowledges that you, Sakura, will not be an adult for another two years. Therefore, any consummation is to be postponed until then, so-"

"Yes, Hokage-sa-"

"No."

_The crowd gasped. They had expected a protest, but they had expected it from Konoha's No. 2 pervert, not from the Hokage's apprentice. Everyone looked at her in shock, even Kakashi watched her somehow surprised. A small blush made it's way onto the pink-haired girl's cheeks, but she stood her ground._

"Excuse me?" _Tsunade asked, not sure to have heard rightly._

"I said 'no'. Ever since we came back others have decided over our lifes. Everyone has been allowed to say and decide something about it. Everyone but us. I will not longer tolerate this. If you accept our relationship, than you have to accept every aspect of it. We can not continuously take care not to step onto someone's toes. We're free people, where is the problem with letting us do as we please?"

"You're underage!" _one of the Elder's shouted._

"So what?! I know that at least no and Tenten have had missions before where they had to seduce someone, and Tenten is barely a year older than me. Furthermore, I'm pretty sure that most shinobi- both male and female alike- my age have already…uh…had sex (here some of her friends started fidgeting), and no one ever says anything about that. Where is the difference here? Is it because I'm a girl and not a boy? That would hardly be fair. And does it really matter that Kakashi is older than me? Would you not be opposed if he were my own age, or I his? I doubt you can give me one good reason."

_The Council was shocked into silence. The pink-haired girl gave them two minutes to come up with a 'good reason', then took Kakashi's hand in her own, and led him out of the room. The Sharingan Warrior was still too surprised to say anything for a moment. Sakura laughed a little at him at his antics._

_Kakashi cleared his throat._

"Look, Sakura, I appreciate your… uhm… effort, but I really think the Hokage does have a point. You're still young, and I don't want you to feel pressured or anything. We've just barely been-"

"Oh, I would've asked you to wait a little longer, anyway," _she admitted, her blush turning a nuance darker._

"Then why…"

"I just didn't want Tsunade and the Elders to think they could control every detail of our lifes anymore, you know. Especially the personal ones. It's none of their business. I want to wait too, maybe not too years, but at least until I can wrap my mind around the fact that we're free now. I don't want us to plan ahead and say, new'll do 'it' today. It should feel right," _she told him._ "I think we should just let it flow. When it happens, it happens."

_For a moment there was silence between them as Kakashi took in her words. They were walking down a heavily travelled street, and he could only imagine how much courage it took her to talk to him about that in such a public place. Her blush was obvious proof of that. His mind quickly made up a plan that would make her forget where they were, so that she was more comfortable._

_Or less._

"Does that mean I have to take protection with me at any given time?" _he teased._

**End of Flashback**

Sakura could suddenly feel two strong arms moving around her waist, and a firm male body pressing against her back. Her breath hitched. Kakashi had hugged her hundreds of times, but it always seemed to have the same effect on her lately. Her blush from before returned with a vengance when he gripped her chin, and tilted her head back, so he could kiss the corner of her mouth. Then, his kisses travelled over the side of her neck, his lips nibbling at her pulse. She moaned softly. His other arm was still tightly around her, his hand sneaking underneath her shirt to caress over her hip-bone. She never thought that it could be a sensitive spot to the touch, but then again Kakashi had never touched her there before. Now he did, though, and her skin suddenly felt all tingly there. Delicious warm shivers ran up and down her spine. The hand holding her chin moved a little to shift her shirt until her shoulder was revealed to him. The silver-haired man let his tongue sneak over the column of her neck until his mouth could latch onto her newly exposed skin. Sakura cried out, her head falling back against his shoulder.

"Kakashi…"

"Hm?" he responded to her breathy whisper of his name.

"…I…I'm feeling strange…"

"How?" he inquired.

"Bu-burning," she stuttered back.

"Good," he rumbled, his voice one of male satisfaction.

She could feel it through the way their bodies were flush against one another. Next she felt his hands one her hips, turning her around, and placing her on the counter. Not before sweeping over her butt, though. Normally, any male that would've dared what he just did, would find himself flying straight through a row of trees, but this was Kakashi, and everything he did at the moment felt nothing but…hot. A good kind of hot. She couldn't get enough. His hand returned to caressing her hip-bone for a second, before moving onward to her toned stomach. His other hand gently parted her legs, so he could stand in between them. After achieving this goal, it went to hold the cradle her head, his lips attacking her throat again. Her hands came up to his shoulders for support as her legs wrapped around his waist, and a deep groan left her mouth.

"Gods," Kakashi murmured against her neck, before swallowing her plesured mewls, moans, and cries in a passionate, tongue-tieing kiss.

It reminded Sakura a lot of the kiss they had shared at Konoha's hotspring. Only that this time his hand simultaneously skimmed the underside of her bra-covered breast. She felt her blush intesify still, but her back arched of it's own accord as if trying to push her bosom into his large, calloused hand. He complied by carefully cupping one of the twin globes. His hand rested there, unmoving, waiting for her reaction. She pulled away from their kiss as his name left her lips in a breathless tone.

His hand squeezed once.

"Kakashi!" she called again.

He smirked, and leaned in to kiss her again. His hand began to slowly massage the soft mound as her own hands became bold enough to sneak beneath his shirt, fingernails grazing over his chest. Kakashi abruptly pulled back, knowing very well where this was leading and that she was not ready for this. His hand left her breast, much to Sakura's disappintment, but a part of her realized the 'danger' of the situation as well, and was a little thankful that he had stopped them from going any further. But now she was 'hot and bothered' as Ino would put it, and she didn't really know what to do about it. Asking Kakashi was not an option, either. That would be just too awkward. However, being Kakashi he probably knew anyway. That would explain at least, why Sakura was suddenly looking into a red sharingan-eye with three rapidly spinning tomoe.

"What…"

"I'll just put you to sleep. Otherwise you would hardly find any tonight. Trust me." He smiled at her.

She felt sleep tug at the corner of her mind, then overtaking her whole body. As her eyelids fell shut, the last thing she saw was Kakashi leaning in to kiss her forehead. Then, the world turned dark.

**33333333333333333333333333333333333333**

Tsunade was pacing in her office again, and again, for some reason, had she ordered the white-haired man to witness the event. Jiraya had wanted to refuse, had argued that he didn't exactly work as a Konoha shinobi anymore. She had reminded him that being a shinobi is a life-long commitment. Only genin could retire without questions, chunin had to go through certain protocolls, and jounin- like him- were practically unable to retire at all. He was still one of the Hokage's shinobi, and the Hokage was her, so he would do as she said.

Sighing, the Toad-Sannin closed his eyes.

"You could always have them marry, if you are so concerned about your apprentice's reputation. Notthat there is much to save in the yes of some villagers."

"She's not twenty yet. She would need parental consent to marry."

"Adopt her."

"No."

"Why not?" Jiraya asked. "You said she's like a daughter to you. So, where's the problem."

"I'm still not happy with this. I don't want her to… you know… with **him**-"

"**Him** being Kakashi."

Tsunade glared at him. She didn't want to hear the name.

"You should be happy it's him," Jiraya suddenly said, unfazed by her murderous gaze.

"Why should I be happy that she is dating Konoha's No. 2 perv?!"

"She could've fallen for me."

Tsunade snorted, then smacked him up the back of his head.

"Ouch! It was just an example. She could have fallen for someone worse. I mean, come on. Even with all his fault, at least we know Ka- I mean **he** is a good guy."

Grumbling, the Hokage agreed.

"Who knows how to handle a female body."

"Grrr!"

"Just saying. The point is, it could've been someone less worthy of her love. I mean, he has stood by her through all they've through. Which was quite a lot, even with their friends' support… Come to think of it, that is perfect material for my next book…"

"Don't you dare!" Tsunade growled at him. "Don't you dare put my apprentice into your pervy excuse for literature!"

All she got as an answer was a puff of smoke as Jiraya disappeared. Tsunade growled once more, debating on whether or not to hunt him down, and beat the living daylight out of him, but ultimately deciding against it. Instead, she sighed as she returned to her desk, and rummaged through the papers and scrolls. She picked up the chart that lay underneath all of them, and held it up to her face to read it once again.

This could mean trouble, seeing as it said:

_Rock, Lee_

_Discharged_

**End of chapter 28!**

**A/N: Finally, the Elders got around to making their decision. But now Lee has been discharged. How do you think will he react? How do you want him to react?**


	29. Mission: Rescue Sakura Part 1

**_Kiss Me Goodnight_**

**KakaSaku**

**A/N: I always seem to forget the (1) I put into the chapter. I'm sorry. As for the (1) in the last chapter: Squeezing one's thumbs in germany is used to wish someone good luck. It does not necessarily mean that one has to do it physically. Just saying "I'll squeeze my thumbs for you!" (it sounds somewhat silly in english) means "Good luck!"**

**Warnings: Lee is probably (a bit) OOC, not sure… please tell me if he is very OOC. I will give you the reasons for his behaviour in later chapters ;), but I'd like to adjust it if I exaggerated. **

**Chapter 29: Mission: Rescue Sakura (Part 1)**

"NO, I CAN NOT ACCEPT THIS!"

Apparently, her plan hadn't gone as smoothly as she had hoped. She had known that it wouldn't be easy to convince him of accepting the facts, but that he would be this opposed was unexpected. She had thought that in ordering him to her office before letting him loose on the town, and telling him what had been going on in the past few months he had been in coma, would be the best way to deal with things. It would be easier to make him accept it, if he was told immediately, than if he found out on his own, or if people tried to hide it from the boy.

"Look, Lee. Sakura has chosen her path. She has repeatedly told you that she loves you- as a friend. Nothing more, nothing less. You can not expect her to live the life of a nun, just so as not to hurt your feelings. You have had more than enough time to get over it-"

"I know my place in her heart, Tsunade-sama," Lee interrupted her in mid-rant, while the blonde rubbed her temples soothingly. "I do not expect her to change her mind, because I know that, as much as it pains me, she won't. I am not the chosen one to receive her heart, and share my youth with her."

"I hear a 'but' coming…" Jiraya spoke up. He had been dragged back to her office from where he had seated himself in a tree opposite to Sakura's apartment, waiting for her and the Copy Nin.

Tsunade sent him a glare.

"But how should I accept that you leave my beautiful Cherry Blossom in the hands of a pervert that is so unworthy of her."

"How come he is unworthy?" Tsunade asked, though she didn't really want to know.

"He is a pervert, who reads smut in public. That is very unyouthful, and Sakura-san would never allow herself to fall for a man such as him. Not to mention that he is her sensei. There is no way that our innocent Sakura-san would cross that line, unless she was somehow forced to. Don't you care at all that Kakashi-sensei probably seduced her, and is using her for his OWN SICK PLEASURE?!"

Suddenly, there was a hand on his shoulder. He turned around to see Gai, watching him with a compassionate look in the eye.

"Now, now, Lee. I know my eternal rival, and will not deny his faults, but he would never do such a thing. If someone says anything else, he or she is a liar. And that is very unyouthful.."

"But, Gai-sensei. He could've used his sharingan on her, and no one would be the wiser!" Lee protested, still.

Tsunade's eyebrow twitched dangerously, and Jiraya thought it wise to take a few steps back before she exploded.

"Now look, brat," the honey-eyed Hokage growled. "Don't you think I would've noticed that? Don't you think I thought about that? I took the test myself. MYSELF, YOU LITTLE TWERP! AND THERE WAS NO SIGN WHATSOEVER THAT SHE HAD BEEN SUBDUED BY A DOUJUTSU OF ANY KIND, SO GET OVER IT!!"

The woman's fist slammed into the table.

"AS FOR HIM SEDUCING HER. I HAVE SEEN HIM DO THAT BEFORE, AND KNOW HOW THE WOMEN HE SEDUCES LOOK LIKE. SAKURA SHOWED NONE OF THE SYMPTOMS LIKE DREAMY EXPRESSION, HAZED EYES, AND SUCH. HE HAS NOT SEDUCED HER, THEY ARE HAPPY, DEAL WITH IT!! AND I AGREE THAT HE WOULD NOT DO THAT- even though he could probably seduce an angel if he wanted to-"

"And you let him seduce this angel, Tsunade-sama, but I will not allow this to go any further! I will not let her youthful spirit fall into his grasp!"

'Crash'

"LEE!" Gai yelled.

Tsunade blinked.

"What just happened?" she asked.

"He jumped out of the window," Jiraya dead-panned, apparently unsure wether to laugh at the boy's antics, or sigh in exasperation at the implications of that last angry statement.

"Tsunade-sama, I'm sure he just needs to cool off. I-"

"No, Gai. I can not have him roaming around the village in this state. There is no excuse for attacking his superior, unless in a sparring match, and I'm very sure that is exactly what he is going to do… Shizune!"

"Y-yes," the brown-haired woman spoke up for the first time.

"Get me the rest of the rookie nine, Sai, and Team Gai, now."

"Y-yes," the other woman answered, rushing out of the office.

"What are you planning to do, Tsunade?" Jiraya asked. "Do you want to hurt him?"

"Hurt him?" Tsunade laughed humorlessly. "He just came out of the hospital. I don't want him back there so fast. But this has to stop. I want him restrained until he can control his rage issues concerning Sakura- or maybe I should say Kakashi."

"And just how are you going to solve that problem?" the white-haired man inquired suspisciously.

"A good punch for my satisfaction, some sessions about self-control with Ibiki, and lots and lots of social work," the blonde said, grinning at the idea. "Ibiki needs a good assistant, who will clean up the dungeon after he is finished, anyway."

The other two men in the room shuddered.

"That's just mean," Jiraya said.

"It will serve to fuel his youthfullness, and-"

"I mean towards Ibiki."

"…"

Tsunade was rubbing soothing circles over her temples again as the conversation progressed. Thankfully, before Gai could come up with an answer, the door slid open to reveal eleven slightly drunk shinobi and kunoichi. Apparently, Kakashi's and Sakura's friends and teammates had been holding their own celebration of the Elders' decision. Raising an eyebrow, she noticed that only the Hyuuga cousins, Sai and Shikamaru did not seem to sway with every step. Obviously, they had been chosen to take their friends home once those became too wasted.

Sighing, because this was going to be a long evening, and because she really needed a drink, she gave them their mission.

"Find Lee before he finds Kakashi."

Ten pairs of eyes widened at the implications. Sai remained emotionless.

**3333333333333333333**

He watched the whole scene unfold.

His whole body tensed when the man walked up behind Konoha's Cherry Blossom, and slid his arms around her waist like they belonged there. As if it wasn't bad enough that he made her cook for him! What gave him the right?! He saw the man tilt the girl's head, so that he could kiss her skin freely. He could almost hear the pink-haired medic's gasps and moans as foreign pleasure invaded her body. She was so innocent, and he was corrupting her so openly. Why didn't anyone see that? How could they let this happen? How could they allow such a fragile blossom like the green-eyed beauty to remain trapped by the fangs of this perverted old man?

He couldn't understand.

Then, he watched the man's hand glide underneath her red top, and his control almost snapped. How dare he touch her so intimitely? The man's bold caresses seemed to affect her greatly as he could see her shiver continuously. The man then used his tongue to lick at the girl's neck. He closed his eyes, disgusted by the man's behaviour. The man tasted her like he had every right to, like she was his, and she did not protest. Something was wrong. She would never allow someone to treat her that way, if she were in her right mind. He was seducing her again, with desire unknown to this angelic creature before, and nobody was doing anything.

He couldn't understand.

She was talking now. All flushed and red and panting. She could barely get the words to fall from her luscious lips, that much he could tell. She was affected beyond reason by now, her head leaning against the man's shoulder as he continuued to manhandle her. The man's lips were sealed over the skin of her shoulder, near the column of her neck. It was plain to see that, while enjoying it, she did not understand what was happening, and yet the man gave no indication to stop. The man distanced his mouth from her shoulder in order to answer with his breath fanning over her cleavage. Why wouldn't someone stop that man?

He couldn't understand.

Even when the man turned her around to kiss her, and she most obviously kissed him back with as much passion as she could muster, it did nothing to appease his rage. On the contrary, watching the man grope her rear only served to fuel his anger and hatred. His loathing. Then, the man's hand slid under her shirt again, caressing her hip and her stomach, while stepping in between her parted legs. It was clear how this would end. When he saw the man's hand grasp the pink-haired girl's breast, his fist clenched, and he almost jumped right through the window to punch the man through the opposite wall for good measure.

He couldn't understand.

Didn't anyone care about the young woman the man was currently using?

He wasn't stupid, though. He knew that he was no match for the legendary Copy Nin, Sharingan Warrior and what else that was Hatake Kakashi. The man that had beaten Gai-sensei in 67 challenges. He would be of little use to the youthful Cherry Blossom if he tried to face the silver-haired jounin one on one, and seeing that no one else seemed to care for her well-being that much, he was her only hope.

Therefore, he had to wait for an opening.

His eyes widened when he saw the Copy Nin use his sharingan on the young woman infront of him, until she was limp in his arms. He had been right, then. Kakashi had used his sharingan on Konoha's Cherry Blossom, and Tsunade had not noticed. Somehow, the silver-haired man must have tricked the medical exams. He wasn't called a genius for nothing, after all. He bit his lower lip to fight the rising fury, hands clenching even tighter by his side. He watched as the Copy Nin lifted the girl into his arms, switched off the oven, and carried her over into the bedroom. He looked intently as she was layed down onto the bed, and the covers were lifted up to her neck. The jounin regarded her for a moment, and brushed his thumb over her cheek, before disappearing into the bathroom. For which purpose, the male outside wasn't sure.

It didn't matter, either.

Hiding his chakra signature, he quickly jumped down onto the window sill, and entered the very pink bedroom. His eyes never leaving the door to the bathroom, where he could now hear the shower running, until he was directly beside the young beauty. He couldn't help it then. He had to look at her. At her creamy skin, tanned only by the still prominent blush, her soft pink hair, her womanly curves underneath the sheets, her closed eyelids that hid sparkling emerald green eyes from him. And her lips, pink and swollen from the silver-haired male's ministrations.

She looked beautiful, even now.

And he would do everything in his power to protect this beauty. Her innocence would not be tainted by that man, not for as long as he had something to say about it. He was not lying when he told the Hokage that he knew that she could never love him the way he would like. He had made his peace with that fact, but he would never allow for a man like Hatake Kakashi to stain the angel he would always adore from afar. It didn't matter what the Copy Nin did with him, once he found out, the only thing that was important to him right now was to protect Sakura the way he had promised he would!

"I shall protect your youth, Sakura-san," he whispered.

"That's nice to know, but it doesn't help very much that you broke into her apartment, Lee," a second voice muttered from behind him.

"Kakashi-sensei," the boy acknowledged.

"What are you doing here, Lee? It's almost midnight. Have you escaped from hospital again?"

"I was discharged."

"My congratulations. That does not explain, however, why you are here. I know you adore Sakura, but you surely could've waited until tomorrow morning to visit her."

"I am here to do what I said," Lee retorted. "To protect her youth."

"From what, exactly?"

"From you!" the boy barked as he suddenly spun around, and threw a kunai at him. Kakashi's eyes widened. He hadn't expected that. Sure, he knew that Lee would probably have mixed feelings about their relationship( much more so than any oher person in this village), but he had never guessed the boy would become violent. It didn't take much to dodge the attack, but when the silver-haired jounin came back up to face his opponent, he found him to be gone.

So was Sakura.

"Damn!"

The Copy Nin scowled at the spot where Lee had just stood.

"Meow," came a soft sound from the side of the pillow.

"Come with me?" Kakashi offered, holding out his hand.

"Meow!" The kitten jumped into his palm, yellow eyes sparkling with what seemed to be determination. The silver-haired male shook his head at such impression. What had he done that such silly thoughts entered his mind time and again? Was his genius on vacation or something? A scratch reminded him that they had to get going. Looking down, he recognized a passionate fury in the hellcat's eyes. Apparently, Chihiro was angry at Lee for taking away Sakura. The little furball may not have had much of her mistress, what with Kakashi always sneaking into her mind, but she did enjoy the pink-haired woman to just be around, and did not appreciate her being kidnapped by Lee right infront of her nose- literally.

Boy, was the brat in trouble...

**3333333333333333333333333**

It wasn't very surprising that it was his old teammate Neji, and said boy's cousin / future wife who found him first. Lee had just made halt on Team Gai's old training grounds to try and wake Sakura up, when he felt the familiar chakra signatures of his cherished friends. He wasn't sure whether to be angry at them, or happy to see them after several months of coma. He could almost understand Hinata's reaction to it all, as the girl barely thought anything bad about anyone. So it was only natural that she wouldn't even think about the possibility of the Copy Nin abusing of her pink-haired friend. But the fact that Neji hadn't said or done anything about it, irked him.

It was so unyouthful.

"Lee," Neji's cool voice drifted over the clearing to his ear.

The brown-haired boy approached him calmly, not expecting an attack from his long-time friend. However, Hyuuga Neji wasn't reckless. His friend had just woken from a coma a few days ago, and through all of this mess none of them had been able to see him before. Who knew what state his mind was in after such a long 'sleep'. He had kidnapped Sakura, after all. Just in case that something was seriously wrong with Lee, he motioned for Hinata to stay behind him, shielded by his larger body. He wasn't happy about having to marry her, but he definitely did not hate her, or want her dead anymore, their relationship having progressed ( or regressed) back to how it was when they were little.

"Neji," the green-clad boy acknowledged him. "Hinata-san."

"Lee-san, please let go of Sakura-chan."

"Are you going to take her back to Kakashi-sensei?"

"…" Neither answered, not sure what to say. That sounded as if he thought them to be the kidnappers here.

"Then, I can not do that," Lee said.

"Why are you doing this, Lee?" Neji queried, one hand stretched towards him slightly, the other holding his cousin, so he could yank, or push her out of danger at any time.

"Because no one else does! No one else seems to care!" the second Green Best of Konoha hissed angrily.

"Care about wh-what, Lee-san?" Hinata tried. Maybe they could solve this through conversation.

"About Sakura-san! Her youth! And what that man has been doing to her," Neji and Hinata looked at each other, confused, "He has been using his sharingan on her. I've seen it. He has 'bewitched her to… to…"

He was at a loss of words.

So were the Hyuuga. They didn't know how to react. They had never seen Lee act like this, not even when he was drunk, or had eaten a bowl of the Cury of Life he adored so much. Neji's eyes narrowed as he took another step closer. Something had happened, either during his coma or during the mission that had left him in that state in the first place. That was the only explanation for his strange behaviour, or was it? In any case, it became more and more apparent that the only way to get their pink-haired friend out of Lee's grasp, would be to remove her from it with the usage of force. Pressing his lips together for a moment, the Hyuuga genius thought. He activated his Byakuga for a split-second, so that Lee wouldn't notice in the dark. He saw their friends coming towards them. Apparently, they too had found Lee's trail. Neji sighed, and decided that if they had to do this, thy better do it quickly.

Because along with their friends came Hatake Kakashi himself!

**End of chapter 28!**

**A/N: How this chapter was created? Well...Some of you said, he would put up a fight, while others said he was not the jealous type of person. I found myself agreeing with both sides (strange, I know), and decided to mix it up a little. This chapter is what came out. **

**I hope you liked it. Please leave a Review.**


	30. Mission: Rescue Sakura Part 2

**_Kiss Me Goodnight_**

**KakaSaku**

**Chapter 30: Mission: Rescue Sakura (Part 2)**

**3333333333333333333**

_(Earlier that evening)_

He watched as Sakura fell prey to the slumber.

Sighing as she came to be limp in his grasp, he lifted her off the counter gently. Not because he feared that she would wake, but because he always seemed to get soft when something concerned her. He quickly switched the oven off, their warming meal completely forgotten as he carried her into the other room. His eyes never left the Blossom's form, sound asleep in his embrace. One of her hands resting on her stomach, the other fisted in his skin-tight black shirt, and her nose burried just above his breastbone. Her lips pressed against his chest, and it did nothing to calm his racing heartbeat. She moved, unconsciously, snuggling deeper into his tall frame.

Kakashi held his breath, and willed the new wave of arousal away.

He carefully put her down onto her bed, and shifted the covers, so that he could tuck her in. Her small hand never let go of his shirt. Smiling softly, he enclosed it with his own, trying to pry her fingers away, while his other came down to cup her cheek. He draw lazy circles over it with his thumb, and had her mewl ever so silently. His eyes closed as he fought the urge to ravish her.

'_She is asleep,'_ he reminded himself.

Straightening himself, he left her to her snuggling-into-the-covers, and moved into the bathroom. He opened the faucet, and rid himself of his west. The silver-haired male had every intention to take a very long, very very cold shower, hoping it would help him with his little 'problem', so that he wouldn't have to 'take care' of it himself. He was about to shed the rest of his clothes, and step under the icy spray, when he heard a soft thumb on the window sill. Now, it could have just been Chihiro. After all, cats liked to sit on window sills, right?! (He wasn't quite sure, seeing as he never held a cat in his household before) However, his shinobi senses screamed 'Danger' at him, and who was he to argue.

Kakashi turned to face the closed door.

He contemplated for a moment, whether or not he should close the faucet again. The lack of sound might alert the intruder. On the other hand, this was Konoha. It couldn't be an enemy-nin. So, it was probably some petty thief, who thought it an easy job to break into the apartment of a young woman who lived alone. Plus, it might also scare the intruder away, if he thinks he was noticed. Quickly closing the faucet, he made his way to the bedroom. He opened the door quietly, and gave the other room a once-over.

There, bend over Sakura, was none other than…

"I shall protect your youth, Sakura-san."

…Lee.

"That's nice to know, but it doesn't help very much that you broke into her apartment, Lee," Kakashi muttered darkly, making the boy aware of his presence. The green-clad Gai-clone, however, didn't even turn to look at him.

"Kakashi-sensei," was the only awknoledgement he got.

Kakashi raised an eyebrow. He had the sinking feeling that Lee had been told- or found out- about his and Sakura's relationship, and wasn't quite pleased with the fact. Inwardly, the Copy Nin sighed. Couldn't everyone just leave them in peace? What had they done to deservesuch harsh judgement? Or, in this case, just him, because it was unlikely that Lee could ever think badly about Sakura. The brat was just hopelessly in love with her, even though he had Gai. The man in the green spandex was bound to feel pretty used, or he loved Lee enough to overlook this little fact…

Kakashi shuddered.

He did so not want to think about that!

"What are you doing here, Lee? It's almost midnight. Have you escaped from hospital again?" the masked jounin asked, instead of continueing his dark, dark thoughts.

"I was discharged."

"My congratulations," Kakashi deadpanned, not really intrested in this conversation. Actually, the only thing he was interested in, was to get the annoying kid out of Sakura's bedroom, and then snuggle into the covers beside his Little Cherry Blossom. "That does not explain, however, why you're here. I know you adore Sakura, but you surely could've waited until tomorrow morning to visit her."

"I am here to do what I said," Lee retorted. "To protect her youth."

"From what, exactly?" Kakasghi inquired, fully expecting the answer, but not the physical reaction.

"From you!" the boy snarled at him, turning for the first time to face him, and throwing a kunai at his body. Kakashi quickly dodged the attack, and that was all the time Lee needed to get out of the apartment. The Copy Nin cursed under his breath. This was so not happening! As if it hadn't been bad enough when the Elders wouldn't allow them to even say 'hello', now some brat in a green leotard freaking kidnapped his girl.

"Damn!" he cursed out loud.

"Meow," came the answer from the covers.

"Come with me?" Kakashi asked, extending his hand towards Chihiro.

"Meow!" the kitten answered enthusiastically, jumping into his palm. For a moment, Kakashi was bewildered to see an angry passion in those yellow kitten-eyes, but that soon passed as he felt Chihiro scrath. He rushed back into the bathroom to put on his olive vest, and the black furball had to dig her clwas into his hand in order not to fall right off his palm. Kakashi still had to grap her tail, much to Chihiro's displeasure, to keep the desperately 'meow'-ing little thing from crashing onto the floor. He smiled gently at the glaring kitten, and put her into one of his vest pockets, before leaping out of the window.

'Now, where did he go?' Kakashi wondered.

He was about to summon Pakkun, when a voice distracted him.

"Kakashi-sensei!"

Said man looked up.

"Naruto?… Sasuke, Sai… I don't have time-"

"But it's important, sensei," the blonde whined.

"Not so loud, dobe. You'll wake the whole district," the Uchiha grumbled.

"Lee jumped out of the Hokage's office, and Tsunade-sama suspects that he would come to find you," Sai told his superior quietly. "But apparently, you already know that, Kakashi-sama."

"What do you mean, he knows?" Naruto asked.

"Why would I be out here in the middle of the night, instead of in a warm bed, Naruto?" Kakashi sighed. Naruto could have brilliant ideas once in a while (He did master the rasengan in his own way, after all), but normally he was just a little knucklehead. He was oddly similar to a fox- orange clothes, whiskers, his huge grin, the curiousity… Too bad, he didn't get the wit of one!

"Oh, right…" the blonde replied sheepishly.

"Sensei," Sasuke spoke up again. "Where's Sakura?"

"Lee threw a kunai at me, and took her away with him, while I was distracted," the Copy Nin admitted. "I was just about to summon Pakkun to find them."

"I'll report back to the Hokage, then," Sai suggested, and was given an affirmative nod by all three men, even Naruto turning deadly serious when it came to the pink-haired girl's well-being. The ink-user quickly headed off. Kakashi bit into his by now healed thumb again, and touched it to the dusty street ever so slightly. With a puff of smoke, a small brown pug appeared infront of the trio.

"Yo-ohhhhhh!" Pakkun greeted them sleepily, barely raising his paw in a wave.

"I need your help!"

"Straight to business, eh Kakashi? What is it, then?" the dog asked. "And it better be important. I'm dead tired."

"Lee kidnapped Sakura."

Needless to say, Pakkun was imediately wide awake…

**3333333333333333333333333333333**

"HE WHAT?!"

Sai, Jiraya and Shizune flinched under the mighty voice of the Hokage.

"He. Kidnapped. Sakura," the white-haired man repeated it slowly. "It wasn't that difficult to understand, Tsunade."

The blonde didn't even bother to glare at him in a warning anymore, instead the Toad-Sannin found the lamp that normally resided on the Godaime's desk connecting with his jaw, sending him flying backwards. Sai and Shizune didn't even dare breath at this point. Sai may be mostly emotionless, but he was not above fear when the Hokage was in this mood. He quickly averted his gaze to the floor, so that she couldn't misunderstand his gaze to be challenging. He chanced a glance at the Hokage's secretary, and saw her clutch the book she was holding, intently reading the titel.

"HE DID WHAT?!" the honey-eyed woman screamed again.

"Uhm… he took Sakura away from her apartment after throwing a kunai at Kakashi-sama- to distract him, and then he…"

"Oh, that lousy, good-for-nothing Copy Nin! One of the most infamous jounin of all times, and he can't protect the girl he loves?! What is he good for, then? Oh, why did I ever agree on leaving my poor Sakura-chan in his care? 'Cute couple', my ass! I should have kept her with me all the time. I shouldn't even let her leave the hospital unless it's absolutely necessary!!"

Sai raised an eyebrow as the Hokage went on with her rant.

"Yeah, but you didn't," Jiraya's weak voice cut in as he raised himself, rubbing a very blue and swollen cheek.

Tsunade saw this and smiled in triumph.

"Serves you right."

"I could say the same to you, but you'd probably only throw something at me again," the white-haired man muttered darkly.

"Apparently, what I threw at you till now was not hard enough to shut that godforsaken mouth of yours."

"You love my 'godforsaken mouth', though."

"Grrrr!"

'_Uhm…'_ Sai thought, somewhat dumbly, and finally getting to know how it felt like to be the Dickless. _'Wasn't this supposed to be all about Sakura?'_

**3333333333333333333333333333**

"Lee, hand her over," Neji tried with words once more.

"I can not allow this to continue," the green-clad boy muttered, like he had been doing for endless minutes now.

Neji's eyebrow twitched. This was getting rather annoying.

"Lee, snap out of it, and hand her over."

"Lee-san, please. Let me take care of Sakura-chan," Hinata chimed in. "If Kakashi-sensei really used his sharingan on her to harm her, she needs medical attention.

Lee's ears seemed to perk up at this. He turned to regard the blue-haired kunoichi, and Neji almost cursed. Here he was, trying to keep her safely behind him, and there she went, putting herself into danger like that. Black-haired boy with the bowl-cut contemplated this statement, seconds ticking by feeling as long as hours. When he finally nodded, Hinata sighed, and Neji wasn't sure if it was in relief or apprehension.

"He would never attack Sakura-chan, and me neither if I'm close to her. That way, you'll be free to move, nii-san," she whispered in his ear, before walking over to where Lee was. She held her hands up in the air infront of her to make him understand that she had no ill intentions. Neji's eyes narrowed as the spandex wearing Green Beast jr. allowed her to pass, so she could take a look at her pink-haired friend. He was ready to move, and knock Lee out the second Hinata was safe with Sakura's head laying in her lap.

The male Hyuuga almost bit his lip, both in worry and confusion. He had never seen Lee act like this. And he had seen Lee jealous before. Of Sasuke. Of Naruto and Sai. Of everyone who worked with Sakura on a daily basis. And of course of the few boys she had dated , though it never went anywhere until she discovered her feelings for Kakashi. All those times, Lee had never acted this way. Either the coma was affecting him, still, or some jutsu that hit him before the coma was messing with the chemistry in his head.

Or maybe it was because it was indeed Kakashi. Sakura's ex-sensei, and still team leader. Someone fourteen years her senior, and known for his perverted tendencies. Neji would be lying, if he said he hadn't been shocked when he first heard the news. The understandable scenarios had invaded his mind as well, but they all quickly faded into nothingness when he seriously thought about it. Sakura wasn't an 'easy girl' by any definition, and she did not crave promotion or other perks this much. Besides, she was always driven by the desire to proof that she was a strong kunoichi. She could've never done so if she got her promotion because she slept with her former teacher. And Kakashi… Kakashi may be a pervert, but a harmless one. He was mostly teasing and flirtatious banter, not a full-blood pervert, so to speak.

Everyone who knew them, knew that.

That's why everyone who knew them, supported them.

Hinata shifted Sakura's body into her lap.

That was the sign.

"Byakugan!" Neji muttered. He took a moment to watch Lee's brain intently, and noticed that the chakra flow there was completely different from Hinata's or his own. Even different from Sakura's who had supposedly been under the influences of the sharingan. Some jutsu seemed to have messed up his head pretty badly. His chemistry was a total chaos. "What the hell happened on that mission?"

However, Neji didn't take the time to ponder about that anymore than a few seconds. Instead, he leaped at Lee, two fingers reached out to put him to sleep with a quick touch. Lee, ever the master at taijutsu, evaded his attack, and came up behind him, ready to kick. Neji used his Kaiten to repell the physical attack thrown at him, and wandered what else didn't work in the other boy's head. Trying to beat a Juuken-user in taijutsu was like trying to get Kakashi to drop his book. Or his mask. Of course, it was the only way for Lee to fight at all, but he had to know that Neji would see him as if he moved in slow motion.

Lee took out a few shuriken, throwing them straight at the pale-eyes boy. Neji couldn't possibly use Kaiten this time, or the repelled weapons might hit Hinata or Sakura. To prevent that from happening, he lowered into fighting stance, and performed his Onehundred-twenty-eight Divine Strikes to avoid being hit. Lee took that time to close in on him, gripping the brown-haired boys arm and twisting it. Neji spun in one fluid motion, his own feet hitting Gai's clone in the ribs, sending the other boy fyling until he hit a tree.

Lee stood up once more soon enough, though.

Again, the Hyuuga tried to touch Lee's forehead, and again the boy dodged the attack. Turning in the air, he aimed another kick at Neji's side, but was unable to finish the movement as a hand enveloped his calf. The brown-haired genius deactivated his bloodline limit, knowing his fight was over. Infront of him, blocking Lee's attack, was the silver-haired jounin this whole mess revolved around. Kakashi made one handseal, and sent Lee into his very own reality with a genjutsu.

"I think you should get him back to the hospital!" he announced as he picked the green-clad boy up, and handed him to Neji. Their friends, standing all around, just watched silently. "Rage-issues can be a side-effect of some jutsu."

Neji nodded.

"Everyone else can go back to bed, or whatever you've been doing before the Hokage told you," Kakashi adressed them, smeeling the alcohol in the air. "Meanwhile, I'll take Sakura back home."

"Wait, please, Kakashi-sensei," Hinata squeaked.

He regarded her with a raise eyebrow.

"The sharingan has been used on Sakura."

The atmosphere changed immediately. From relief to shock to anger in a spli-second. Dark looks were cast towards the Copy Nin, who…

…smiled? (The eye-crinkled as the only indication)

"I put her to sleep, because she was much too 'awake' to find some on her own," Kakashi replied softly, and… was that the beginning of a blush underneath his mask.

Everyone's eyes that had been scrutinizing the silver-haired male turned to Hinata for confirmation. The shy girl looked down at her bubble-gum-headed friend, and found the girl indeed unconsciously snuggling into her body as it was the warmest thing around. The green-eyed medic had fisted both hands in Hinata's shirt, and was even mumbling something about 'blackberry muffins' and 'chocolate chip pancakes' in her sleep.

Apparently, she was deciding what to make for breakfast.

"Oh," was all Hinata got out, surprised and embarrassed for not trusting Kakashi. "I'm sorry."

"That's alright, Hinata-chan," the older man said, still smiling beneath his mask. "You were only worried for your friend, and that honnors you."

The blue-haired girl blushed deeply, and scrambled away as soon as Kakashi had picked Sakura up. The Hyuuga heiress disappeared halfway behind her cousin. She wasn't as shy anymore as she had been, and she normally didn't stutter anymore- at least not much- but someone outrightly complimenting her like that still ruffled her feathers somehow. Neji just sighed at his cousin's antics, though he agreed with most of the boys in town that it was kind of endearing. Not that he'd ever admit that out loud, or let some random guy who said such a daring thing about hia sweet little cousin get away without a serious beating!

Kakashi chuckled.

**333333333333333333333333333333**

Sakura yawned.

She had had such a good sleep last night. Maybe she should ask Kakashi to put her to sleep with his sharingan more often. She had slept like a baby, dreaming of meadows full of flowers, and of waterfalls, and of lazing around in the sun. Too bad they had to depart early from their vacation in Moon Country. The sun there was nice. Oh well, at least she had gotten an idea for a good recipe for blackberry muffins. Opening her eyes, the first thing she saw was skin. Not pale, but not really tanned either. Soft in it's texture, but with obviously trained muscles underneath.

And warm.

"Finally awake, princess?" a voice asked.

Sakura raised her head from Kakashi's naked chest to look him in the eye.

"About time, too. Who would've thought you'd sleep straight through three days when I used my sharinagan to calm you down. Even **with** the eventful first night you had…"

'_Huh?'_ Her brain was still too foggy from sleep to grasp those words. Did he mean their make-out session, or did something else happen? What could…?

"What do you mean, three days?!"

**End of chapter 30!**

**A/N: Woah, thirty chapters already. I hadn't planned it to be this long, but somehow things never go the way you plan them out to be...  
Well, I'm not really good at writing fighting scenes, mostly because I'm a peace-loving person, so I hope that it wasn't too bad, and want to apologize if it sucked! T.T Gomen nasai!**


	31. Wedding Terror

**_Kiss Me Goodnight_**

**KakaSaku´**

**Warnings: ...bit of dirty talking at the end... also the chapter will seem a little rushed, but that is intentional (look at the title)**

**Chapter 31: Wedding Terror**

"Finally awake, princess?" a voice asked.

Sakura raised her head from Kakashi's naked chest to look him in the eye.

"About time, too. Who would've thought you'd sleep straight through three days when I used my sharinagan to calm you down. Even with the eventful first night you had…"

'_Huh?'_ Her brain was still too foggy from sleep to grasp those words. Did he mean their make-out session, or did something else happen? What could…?

"What do you mean, three days?!"

She didn't expect him to answer, though, it seemed, as she jumped up immediately, and hurried around her bedroom. Opening closets and drawers, running into the bathroom for one second, then rushing out in the next. All the while she mumbled incoherently, leaving sentences incomplete, or muttering curses at him for not waking her up sooner. And when her glance finally landed on the clock, she shrieked out of pure terror. Grasping her face with a horriefied expression, she doubled her efforts, and was quickly wearing an elegant, barely past-knee-length pink dress, which was held up by only one strap over her shoulder. A strap that went over her mostly exposed back in a zigzag fashion. It was rather low-cut at the back, which made it impossible for her to wear a bra beneath it.

Kakashi smirked.

Life was good.

"Oh my god! Oh my god! OH MY GOD!" she screached jumping one one foot acroos the room as she tried to put a pink high-heel on.

Kakashi raised an eyebrow.

"Oh my god! Oh my god! Oh my GOG!" she continued, apparently not even able to to correctly say 'god' anymore, while fastening her second pink high-heel, and fumbling with her silver earrings.

Kakashi's second eyebrow raised.

"Kami, help me!" Sakura prayed as she fought with the silver necklage he had given to her for her eighteenth birthday, the one with the light emerald as a pendant.

Kakashi sighed.

Standing up, he moved over to her struggling form, and encircled her waist with his arms from behind her. Catching on, she stilled her movements, so he could help her. Instead of just grasping the ends of the necklage she was holding up for him, he used the opportunity to let his hands travel up her side in a rough caress. Her breath hitched for a moment, before she gasped when his fingers skirted along the sides of her dress-not-dress-and-bra-covered breasts.

Oh, yes. Life was GOOD.

He took the ends of the necklage in his hands, and, with a quick movement, fastened them, before correcting the way it layed around her neck. He looked at her front in the mirror, she had tried to use as a help. His arms went around her again, this time just beneath her bosom, and then he tugged her back into him, until her skin brushed over his. When she moaned softly, he knew it was because she could feel the heat of his body without any restraining clothes in the way (the little strap that held up her dress did not count). He inclined his head to lick around the shell of her ear, and blew at the moistened skin.

Sakura groaned.

"Why are you in such a hurry?" Kakashi asked, sincerely interested. "And what's up with that formal dress?"

"Huh?" Sakura asked, not understanding much of what he was trying to say, until… it hit her! "Oh my god-"

"Yes, you said that already."

"Why are you still naked?"

"…"

"Well, half-naked?"

He just looked at her.

"Not that I personally mind, but we really have to go," she said, blushing.

He just continued to look.

"You said I slept three days, right?" she asked him.

"…Yeah."

"Counting from the day we made out."

Her blush turned darker as she averted her gaze.

"Yes," he answered, smiling fondly at the memory.

"Then, Kakashi, it's the day," she told him in a voice that said: You should know, you know?!

"Remind me again, what day?"

"Christmas…" she retorted, exasperated with him. "The Hyuuga Wedding, you baka!"

"…Oh," Kakashi said. Now that he thought about it, he remembered there being something important coming up. Incest-marriage, while not unheard of in old clans such as the Hyuuga, were normally not held between two members that were so closely related. Neji and Hinata were first cousins, practically half-siblings, seeing as their fathers were identical twins. Then again, they were both considered the noblest of their respective families. Hinata as the heiress to the Main House, and Neji as the genius of the Branch House. After the end of the clan segregation, their marriage was the only way to assure that those two sides of the Hyuuga Clan wouldn't be at each others throats anytime soon, since Hinata- and maybe Hanabi- were the only members of the Main House the Branch House actually liked.

"Oh? Is that everything you have to say?" Sakura huffed. "Get. Dressed."

And with that, she hurried on into the bathroom to do whatever girls did before an important celebration. Hair, Make-Up, finger nails, and what else. Neither did Kakashi know, nor did he really want to find out. The process itself was probably as interesting as going shopping with a woman- meaning, one had to carry the woman's bags, because "that's what's the 'strong gender' was for"; that and opening marmelade glasses. The whole ordeal became intresting only when the woman came out of the changing room to show her man what kind of lingere she intended to purchase…

After half-heartedly putting on his shirt and sandals, the Copy Nin still had to wait half an hour for Sakura to finally get out of the bathroom. Not that he complained, because he didn't. What man in his right mind would complain when the result was so utterly stunning?! She had used a bit of dark eye-liner, and a jade green eye-shade, matching her own emerald orbs perfectly. Her lips had been painted in the sweetest cotton-candy pink he had ever seen, the lips-gloss emanating the scent of ripe strawberries, and making him want to eat her mouth. But he restrained. She had applied a bit of floral-scented parfume, but nothing too strong so as not to go with her hair that smelled like vanilla as always. And of course both her finger and her toe nails were painted pink.

And she was blushing a nice shade of pink as she felt his gaze.

She was overall very pink, not that he minded.

He thought it made her look cute.

Their eyes locked again.

"You're not wearing that," she stated, an expression of determination crossing her face, before she hurried out of her room. She came back a moment later with a bunch of clothes on her arms. "Here. Change."

"What's wrong with what I'm wearing?" he asked, pouting. "I'm wearing what I always wear."

"Exactly. You're not going to Hinata-chan's wedding like that. It's a formal wedding, for Kami's sake!" she argued back, a scowl darkening her pretty face.

"You'll get folds if you scowl like that."

Her scowl only increased while she dropped the clothes beside him.

"Why do you have men's clothes?… They're not… **his**, are they?" he inquired, now with a scowl of his own. "Because I'm not wearing anything that belonged to that bas-"

"They're my granpa's," Sakura interrupted him with a gentle smile as she caught on what he was talking about. "On my mother's side of the family. He died when I was still pretty young. Sometimes I have troubles remembering what he looked like, but I still get this warm and cozy feeling when I think of him. From what my mother told me, before she passed away, I really adored him- and vice versa."

"Oh…thanks."

Kakashi looked at the floor in embarrasssment.

"Do you really think I would keep something that belonged to…to…"

He grabbed hold of her hand.

"I'm sorry," the silver-haired man whispered sincerely. He hadn't wanted to remind her.

"It's okay," she said, but sniffled. He squeezed her hand, and rubbed over it comfortingly with his thumb. "What is not okay, is that you're still not changing!"

She glared at him, scowl back in place.

Kakashi sighed.

"Would you like me to disrobe infront of you?" he asked smugly.

"It's going to happen sooner or later anyway, so why not practice," she replied with a smirk of her own, taking him by surprise.

"E-excuse me?" he stuttered.

"You heard well," Sakura stated firmly, before erupting into fits of giggles.

Kakashi sat there, stunned. She did not just say all those things that would make a woman of the Icha Icha series proud, did she? No, Sakura- sweet, innocent Sakura- would not do such a thing. Maybe he was dreaming? There was no way in any circle of hell that his Little Cherry Blossom would take such words into her mouth! Especially, when she new he was a smut-addicted pervert!

He glanced at her suspiciously.

"Okay, who are you and what did you do to my Little Cherry Blossom?"

"…What can I say, Kakashi, you corrupted your 'Little Cherry Blossom'."

Her smirk only grew.

"Now, change."

And change Kakashi did. If she wanted to play, he'd play, after all. He shrugged out of his vest slowly, and tugged his shirt up just barely enough so that she could see his defined abs. He saw her blush return with a vengange, but she did not run, or even look away, boviously fascinated with the way his musles rippled when he moved. The silver-maned man smirked. He disregarded his shirt by throwing it into the far corner of the room as if he was doing a strip-tease or something, and watched satisfied as her eyes widened and glaze over with a first small wave of carnal desire. Next came his pants. Her blush extended onto the skin of her cleavage, but she still would not look away as he pulled down the zipper. Her eyes were transfixed by the way his calloused fingers moved over the fly of his standard jounin pants. Her blatant stare made his own cheeks heat with colour, just barely, though. He was a jaded pervert after all. He dropped his pants, and removed the sandals, slowly unwinding the bandages around his shins (he sat on the bed to do so). Kakashi then leaned back for a moment, so she could take him in in all his almost-naked glory (he still wore his boxers), and was more than just a little pleased at the low whistle that escaped her. She had already seen him in his bathing-trunks, but he guessed it was something different than seeing him in only his underwear for her.

"Like what you see?" He couldn't help but tease her.

"…Kakashi," she whispered, breathless.

"Meow!"

**3333333333333333333333333**

"Uhm… Ino, I meant to ask you…"

"What is it, forehead?"

"Pig," she grunted. "You remember after the hotsprings-incident, how I wanted to tell you something?"

"You mean how you stammered for endless minutes without getting out more than- and I quote- 'Ino…I…I…can….I…I did….Oh my…'… Yeah, I remember that. Now, what is it?" Ino retorted, not looking at her, and instead focusing on her task of binding the third bouquet of the hour.

"I… wanted to ask you…if…if…"

"Spill it, forehead!"

"…Is…is it possible to…you know…f-from…just…a kisssss…"

Ino raised an eyebrow, finally looking up at her.

Sakura burried her face in her hands, wishing she had never asked, and just hoping she could sink into the ground before Ino fiugured out what she meant. The pink-haired girl waved her hand dismissively, telling the blonde to just forget she ever mentioned it, but knowing it was futile. If there was one thing Yamanaka Ino could not do, then it was forget a situation in which Haruno Sakura embarrassed herself.

"Is it possible to what from just a kiss?" the blue-eyed girl asked, glancing over at Tenten and Temari who had both been listening, and looked about just as lost as her.

"To…to…you know," Sakura answered weakly. "I mean, isn't it…supposed to only happen…when you…when you do 'it', or can you…you know… "

She trailed off.

"No, I don't know!" Ino told her, irritated. "I wouldn't be asking if I knew."

"Ano," a third person spoke up. Everyone looked at the shy Hyuuga Heiress except for Sakura, who still looked at the palms of her hand. The blue-haired bride was blushing like crazy. "I guess… it would-d be p-possible… if… if the k-ki-kiss was very go-ood."

Sakura squeaked.

Ino, Tenten and Temari looked at the two women, still wondering what their friends were talking about, and how come Hinata had understood, when none of them could grasp the matter. Sakura was obviously too shy to call whatever-it-was by it's rightful name, so it had to be something that had to do with men- meaning, Kakashi- and Hinata had probably understood, because she, too, would never say the word out loud, and would instead call it 'you know' herself.

'It' was obviously sex. So what were you supposed to do from sex…

'_Enjoy it,'_ came to Ino's mind immmediately. _'But that doesn't help, unless with 'you know' she means…'_

Ino laughed out loud once she figured what the other two girl were talking about.

"Kakashi-sen…pai…must be one…hell of a kisser…then…if…he can make you…'you know'…with just his…lips on yours," the Flower Girl said in between fits of hilarious laughter. She was laughing so hard, she was on her knees in a moment, and had to hold her stomach. She was laughing so hard, she was crying, tears streaming down her face, ruining her Make-Up. Ino couldn't care less at the moment, though. She had just figured out what her pink-haired friend had been trying to tell her with her helpless stammering, and it was just so…so… laughable that she couldn't call it by it's name, especially since her boyfriend was Konoha's No. 2 Pervert, surpassed only by the author of his favorite dirty little books himself.

"Could you enlighten us, too, Ino?" Temari asked.

"She…she…was talking about…a kiss from Hatake that…" She was barely getting the words out, because of her laughing. "…that made her…made…made…her climax…"

Ino continued to laugh.

Tenten and Temari fell in with their own laughter.

Hinata stood by, blushing.

And Sakura wished more than ever that she could just disappear!

"Ano, girls… girls….GIRLS!" Hinata shouted from behind the sleeve-covered hand she had raised in her embarrassment.

The girls in the pink dresses stopped laughing, and even Sakura looked up at her.

"Uhm… gomen… Well, not to hurry you, but…I have to be out there with nii-san in ten minutes," the young woman announced.

A second of shocked silence, and then everyone went back to work on their respective tasks.

**3333333333333333333333333333**

"She played dress-up with you, hm, Hatake?"

Kakashi turned around at the well-known voice. He'd recognize the lecherous tone on a busy market-place. And he was not disappointed to find his senbon-sucking friend behind him, though he was a bit surprised to see him in Shizune's company, and in a tuxedo. Kakashi smirked.

"Same for you, I guess."

To her credit, Shizune blushed only slightly, and Kakashi decided he prefered Sakura's full-body blush anytime. Even though, he hadn't seen it in all it's glory yet.

Genma was completely unfazed, though.

"Did she help you into your pants? Or was she more of a hinderance, the little wildcat?" the brown-haired special jounin asked.

"She watched, in order to make sure I put everything at the right place," the masked man replied.

Genma's senbon fell to the floor with a loud 'clonk'.

"You are serious, aren't you?" he asked.

Kakashi smiled one of his trade-mark eye-crinkling smiles, and hurried through the crowd to take his seat in the front rows with his teammates. Sakura would hate him just as much as she loved him once she found out that he had told Genma. By the end of this day, the whole village would know that she had watched him dress. And by the the end of the week, the whole Fire Country, maybe even parts of the Wind Country. With all the shinobi travelling forth and back between the two Hidden Villages of the allies, and the Kazekage attending this marriage, it would certainly not surprise him.

'_Oh, well… it will be fun to tease her,'_ the Copy Nin decided as he spottet an enthusiastically waving Naruto. The four seats next to the blonde were already occupied by Sasuke, Sai, Yamato and Jiraya.

The silver-haired jounin sat down beside his ANBU Kohai, motioning for the Ero-Sannin to scoot over.

"Kakashi-sama, you have a cat sticking out of your jacket pocket," Sai told him, just as a soft purr could be heard from said pocket.

"…I know."

"Meow!" Chihro mewled, and purred all the more loudly.

Kakashi patted her head, sighing.

"…"

"It's going to be a beautiful wedding," Yamato commented.

"Hina-chan is going to look so beautiful as well," Naruto chimed in, not without an ounce of sadness. He had not yet completely coped with the fact that, had he realized sooner that he liked Hinata, things might not have turned out different, but at least they might have been able to make a few happy memories. Kakashi smiled sympathetically, and reached over to ruffle the blonde's unruly hair. "Speaking of which…What about you and Sakura-chan?"

Kakashi's hand froze.

"Wha-what?"

"When are you and Sakura-chan marrying?" Naruto asked.

Silence ensued. Everybody looked at him. Damn!

"Well, well?!"

"Uhm… we've been together for just barely more than a month, Naruto," Kakashi said, thinking fast. "Don't you think it's a little too early to think about marriage? Besides, Sakura isn't of age yet. She'd need parental consent to marry, and we both know her father doesn't like me very much."

Kakashi scowled at the thought of said man, still alive in a prison cell. Fed and watered by his taxes.

"He's a criminal! You can't tell me he still has to agree to such things for Sakura-chan?!" Naruto protested.

"He's the only family she got, and unless someone adopts her… unfortunately, the law states that he has…"

"That's… ridiculous," Sasuke spoke up. "We give a criminal who…_hurt_… his daughter the right to make decisions for her."

"I know." Kakashi sighed. "Those laws are old, Sasuke. Back in those days it wasn't that bad of a crime…Women- girls- don't counted much…"

Sasuke, Naruto and even Sai all looked at him.

Jiraya cleared his throat.

"How about we postpone the lession in Konoha Law to some other time," he suggested quietly. "Here comes the bride."

Dropping the topic, they turned their heads towards the entrace, even Chihiro.

**333333333333333333333333333**

"Oh god, I've never been so tired," Sakura complained as she unlocked the door to her apartment late that night. "And my feet are killing me!"

"I'm hungry," Kakashi said, the comment strangely out of place.

"… I'm going to cook some rice."

Sakura smiled at him, throwing away her high-heels, and starting to walk towards the kitchen, bare-foot. She never made more than three steps, though, before her wrist was grabbed, and she was yanked back into an all to familiar warm, _hard_ body. She sighed contently as her soft bosom made contact with his firm chest (What were you guys thinking was 'hard'? Perverts!… Not that I blame you…). The sound was swallowed by his unmasked lips that went to cover her own in a bruising kiss. One hand fisted in her hair, while the other travelled over her sides to her back, and to the little bit of flesh that was hidden underneath her brides-maid dress.

In the back of her mind, Sakura registered a light 'thump', and an indignant hiss at being diregarded on the floor, but he had taken over possesion of her senses way too much already, for her to analyze those sounds.

He let go of her lips to breath, and whisper as he looked into her eyes. Whisper a sentence that made her shiver all over, and not in an unpleasant way.

"Not that kind of hungry."

**End of chapter 31!**

**A/N: Well, I hope you liked it so far.**

**_As for the last two scenes:_ Don't worry, I will give you a closer look at the wedding itself in the next chapter to explain how it came to this last interaction between our two love-birds. It will be from a point of view 'over Kakashi's shoulder', so to speak.  
Unless, of course, you don't want me to write about that?**


	32. Down and Dirty Or not?

**_Kiss Me Goodnight_**

**KakaSaku**

**Warnings: ...heavy lime /near-lemon**

**A/N: Although, there has been questions about what I meant with a "POV 'over Kakashi's shoulder' " in the last chapter. I'll try to explain. Thing is, in germany we distinguish between three types of authors (and their writing styles)**

**a) the first person author (no more explanation needed, I think)**

**b) the all-knowing author ( a god-like author who knows everything about his story and it's characters; thoughts and feelings included)**

**c) (for lack of a better translation) the author that 'Looks over a character's shoulder' (knows one character inside out, but not the feelings and thoughts of the other characters / character of whom's shoulder the author looks may vary in the course of one story)**

**I usually prefer the second type of author, but since Kakashi is going to make the flashback in this chapter I wanted to try to make it look more real, because Kakashi isn't a mind reader, he can only guess what the feelings of the other Naruto characters are (being a genius, he is good at guessing, though)**

Yeah, well... I hope I could explain it to your satisfaction, and I'm sorry for any misunderstandings there. 'author bows'

**Oh, and the title 'Wedding Terror' was meant in a joking manner since Sakura 'terrorizes' herself and Kakashi about getting ready, and that bit of nagging Kakashi had to endure from Genma and his team**

**Chapter 32: Down and Dirty…Or not ?**

"Oh god, I've never been so tired," Sakura complained as she unlocked the door to her apartment late that night. "And my feet are killing me!"

"I'm hungry," Kakashi said, the comment strangely out of place.

"… I'm going to cook some rice."

Sakura smiled at him, throwing away her high-heels, and starting to walk towards the kitchen, bare-foot. She never made more than three steps, though, before her wrist was grabbed, and she was yanked back into an all to familiar warm, _hard_ body. She sighed contently as her soft bosom made contact with his firm chest (What were you guys thinking was 'hard'? Perverts!… Not that I blame you…). The sound was swallowed by his unmasked lips that went to cover her own in a bruising kiss. One hand fisted in her hair, while the other travelled over her sides to her back, and to the little bit of flesh that was hidden underneath her brides-maid dress.

In the back of her mind, Sakura registered a light 'thump', and an indignant hiss at being diregarded on the floor, but he had taken over possesion of her senses way too much already, for her to analyze those sounds.

He let go of her lips to breath, and whisper as he looked into her eyes. Whisper a sentence that made her shiver all over, and not in an unpleasant way.

"Not that kind of hungry."

Her eyes widened, knowing exactly what he was talking about. A blush turned her skin the lovely shade of her hair, and she couldn't stop the continous shivers that travelled up and down her spine. He heard her gasp, and used the opportunity to slip his tongue into her mouth again. Their eyes were open this time, and the slow, sensual strokes of his tongue adding to the gentle circles his thumb was making on the skin of her back, served to soothe her. He saw pleasure and anticipation flood her, but couldn't miss the slight fear either. She trusted him, but her hands still fisted in his jacket at the rise of an ounce of panic. His lips left hers to take a much-needed breath, before latching onto her throat, where her pulse raced.

"I gave you a promise, Sakura," he reminded her, albeit huskily. "And I always keep my promises! We won't do anything you are not ready for."

He came up to look at her face, and watched a relieved smile spread over it. Her eyes were closed.

"But," he said, lowering his voice another octave as her eyes widened again, and his mouth connected with her jaw. His lips travelled up to her earlobe, giving it a gentle tug. She gave a faint moan, unable to hold it back. His mouth then turned it's attention to nibbling at her chin, but not before his tongue left it's confines to leave a moist trail over her rosy-coloured cheek. He felt Sakura's back arch into him as the action fueled her desire. "But your lips can not reject me… They're mine!"

And without waiting for a response, he claimed what was indeed his in a searing kiss, wondering how exactly they had gotten there.

_**Flashback**_

_( from a POV 'over Kakashi's shoulder')_

"How about we postpone the lession in Konoha Law to some other time," he suggested quietly. "Here comes the bride."

_Dropping the topic, their whole group turned their heads towards the entrace, even Chihiro. They didn't see Hinata, of course, as she was well hidden behind her four pink-clad bride-maids. Sakura, Ino, Tenten and Temari were all wearing the same barely-above-knee-length valentine's-pink dress. Each of them also wore the same three-inches high-heels that would kill them by the end of the day, the Copy Nin had no doubt there. An image of Sakura lying on the couch with him, while he gave her a foot massage popped into his mind. He had never told her, but he had liked the feeling of her soft, small feet in his hands last time. They didn't feel like a kunoichi's feet at all, not calloused or rough. Nothing like that. And yet, there was no doubt that his Little Cherry Blossom was one of the strongest kunoichi of the Village Hidden in the Leafs._

_The silver-haired jounin shook his head. He was getting off topic now. The scene returning into focus infront of him, had Sakura and Ino walking down the isle, Tenten and Temari behind them. Ll four were holding up small bouquets with a sunflower in the middle. An allusion to the brides name. Hinata – a sunny place! It definitely suited the occasion, Kakashi decided. He caught the pink-haired medic's gaze as the small group drew closer, and inclined his head a little with a small frown. The young woman was flushed from head to toe for some reason other than him, boviously, as he hadn't seen her in the past hour or so (poor Kakashi, he doesn't know about the 'girl's talk'), and Kakashi didn't like that. He wanted to be the one to make that cute blush appear on her porcelain-white face all the time. He had no idea what had happened, but he felt jealousy rise in his chest._

_The masked man caught his lover's gaze as she passed their little goup, but Sakura immediately averted her attention to the floor, her blush intensifying and her fingers starting to fidget around the bouquet. Kakashi's frown deepened, though he couldn't help but find her cute with the way she was so embarrassed and flushed all over. She looked a little bit like she had been under the sun too much. And when he caught a first glimpse of the bride, he could even believe tha to be- metaphorically- true._

_Hinata was beautiful. Kakashi didn't hold interest in her in any way aside from the friendship the rookie nine had developed with all their sensei, but he had to admit to himself that Hinata was indeed beautiful. As it was a formal wedding, and what with the Hyuuga being the oldest clan in all of Konoha, she wore a heavily embroided white kimono with more layers than her wedding cake. Kakashi had always thought that women looked to much like dolls in traditional clothes, but it kind of suited the blue-haired girl. Not that she was a doll or anything, he just found that she looked very regal in all those garments, and the heavy white make-up. If it weren't for that tiny bit of lip-colouring, and her very prominent blush, she would look like a ghost!_

_Seeing the bride, everyone stood up to honor her. Beside her walked a very grim-looking Hiashi. He had given up the position of clan head for Hinata, knowing his daughter and her gentle nature, but from what the Copy Nin had heard he had- like most Main House members- never forgiven her for ending the clan segregation upon her inthronisation (sp?). Hinata didn't care much, because, thanks to Naruto's influence of all people, she had apparently developed a bit more self-confidence, and with Neji there to help her, Kakashi was sure she would do just fine as a leader to her split up family._

_When Hiashi gave Hinata's hand to the groom, who had been waiting for her infront of the Hokage, Kakashi's eyes (he had left his hitai-ate at Sakura's as it didn't go with the tuxedo) stayed on the involuntary couple just long enough to see them stiffen as their skin touched, before straying back to Sakura's still pink face. It was common knwoledge that the two who were to be united during this ceremony cared for each other only as siblings (which in Kakashi's mind, they were- father's being twins and such), yet had no other choice but to marry, or the anger and hatred brewing beneath the surface of their family for the past three-hundred years would unleash itself. And that would probably lead to the extinction of another one of Konoha's most noble clans. Kakashi sighed. It seemed to him that nothing could ever be simple in the life of the rookie nine and Team Gai._

_He shook his head, clearing his thoughts as the vows were exchanged. His eyes never left the uncomfortably shifting Sakura. Kakashi's eyes narrowed as he saw her mumbling something in her non-existent beard. He didn't need his sharingan, but used it anyway to read her lips; just to be sure. A smirk spread underneath his mask as he realized it **was** actually him that had her so flustered. As he let his gaze travel over the other three bride-maids, he noticed their barely-hidden smirks as they looked at the pink-haired woman slyly. Oh, this was sweet, too sweet to be true. He had been right back then. She had indeed reached her peak in those hotsprings. He had intended to ask her at the time, but had given up as he hadn't thought it was worth getting hit just after placating her again._

"Don't worry, Sakura, you'll have more of those," _he murmured to himself as he watched her fondly, the first tingle of yearning in his stomach._

"Huh?" _Yamato asked, apparently believing he was talking to him._ "Did you say something, sempai?"

"No, no. It was nothing. Just mumbling to myself." _Kakashi waved him off. The brown-haired man looked at him, uncertain, and opened his mouth to ask something else, but was interupted again._

"Ah, only the kiss missing now!" _Jiraya exclaimed, and they all turned to look at him, half-curious, and half-disgusted that he was actually enjoying seeing the kids suffer. Did he really want to make this harder on them?_ "What?! It is part of every Wedding Ceremony, as it symbolizes the unity of the spouses. You know that as well as I do! Besides, they'll have to do much more at some point, so it would be easiest if they start getting comfortable now. Wouldn't you agree?"

_Sai remained unfazed, Sasuke glared at the Sannin, Naruto looked at the ground sadly, Yamato coughed away his ebarrassment, and Kakashi…_

_Kakashi's eyebrow twitched dangerously, but he returned his gaze to the front._

_He wasn't sure what he wanted, expected to see. He saw the kids uncomfortably shifting, unsure of what to do. Hinata was looking everywhere but at her cousin, and the brown-haired genius himself seemed very uneasy about the whole ordeal. Kakashi could see Tsunade chance them a pitiful look, while at the same time tapping her foot on the ground impatiently. The bride-mais and Neji's best man- Gai, for whatever reason- were shuffling with their feet or biting their lips. Even the green-clad monster seemed uncharacteristically silent, instead of shouting at everyone who was within the reach of his voice – basically, all of Konoha – about the beauty of youth that shows in a kiss! The Copy Nin's gaze turned back to the not-so-happy couple, and was surprised to see Hinata taking the initiative. Grasping Neji's hands more tightly, she raised onto her tip toes with just a second of hesitation and kissed his cheek. The baffled boy looked down at her in wonderment for a minute, before smiling. Leaning over her, he kissed her forehead ever so gently, and squeezed her hands. They seemed comfortable now- well, as comfortable as one can be married to their cousin / half-sibling!_

"Oh, come on!" _the masked jounin could hear Jiraya complain._

"Well, it's stated nowhere that it has to be a kiss on the lips, so- techinically- this qualifies," Kakashi_ replied, not turning to look at the man._

_Instead, he watched as the newlyweds moved down the aisle together, best man, and other witnesses ( members of the Hyuuga clan), and three of the four bride-maids following immediately after. Row by row the wedding guests stood to follow the procession to the Wedding Reception in the Main Hall of the Hyuuga compound. Kakashi waited as the others moved onwards already, until his flushed lover took his hand into hers, and pressed herself into his arm, smiling._

"Hinata looked really beautiful today. You girls have outdone yourselves," _Kakashi murmured._

_She still refused to look at him, but snorted ast his kind words._

"Oh, please, Kakashi! You've never seen anything, 'we girls' have done when playing dress-up with each other."

"What would you do with me?" _he asked suggestively, only to feel her stiffen beside him as he imagined her blush spread._

"You're impossible," _she grunted._

_He laughed._

"And you're gorgeous."

_Finally, she would look at him._

"You…you mean that?"

"Yes," _he said simply, before adding off-handedly._ "And there's nothing wrong or embarrassing about having an orgasm."

_Sakura went bright red, again refusing to look at him._

_Kakashi laughed lightly._

_Sakura slapped his arm._

_Kakashi kissed the top of her head, ignoring the sore feeling. Sometimes, Sakura just didn't know how strong she really was, which resulted in members of Team Kakashi having several broken limbs that needed immediate medical attention during sparring sessions. It got to the point, where neither Naruto , nor Sasuke wanted to spar with her- at least nor one-on-one. And Sai hadn't called her an 'old hag' during training ever since the first time she used it as an excuse to beat him to a bloody pulp, AND refused to treat him. The silver-haired man smiled at the memories as he led her towards the now married couple, who was greeting and thanking everyone personally at the entrance. In Kakashi's opinion, they seemed much more comfortable now that they could go back to acting like siblings, though their clothes definitely indicated the truth. For a brief moment, Kakashi wondered about what Naruto had asked him. Would he stand there with Sakura one day?_

_He looked down at the young woman, before raising his gaze again, and facing the two Hyuuga._

"I'd say 'congratulations', but somehow I doubt that you'd like to hear that," _the Copy Nin said, not because he wanted to be rude, but because they were his friends, and shouldn't feel obligated to act as if they were okay around him, when they clearly were not._ "Don't worry, though, I will not give my condolences or pity you, either."

"Thanks."

_Both, Neji and Hinata gave a relieved sigh._

_Kakashi nodded at them, while reluctantly letting go of Sakura's hand as the girls hugged. Then they entered the hall, and were surprised to hear what Gai would call 'youthful music'. Kakashi looked strangely at Sakura, and listened to her explaining that Hinata had wanted it to be less formal, and more of a party, so everyone- including herself, probably- could feel more at ease with the situation._

"I guess, they're going to change, then, before joining us?" _Kakashi asked._

_He saw Sakura give a short nod, before making a bee-line to their friends, who where, ofcourse, at the buffet. Yamato, Jiraya, Sai, and Sasuke all stood a little sideways from Naruto who either indulged his legendary appetite, or was trying to drown his heartbreak in food instead of alcohol. Kakashi wasn't quite sure which one at first, but when he saw Kiba join him, he came to the conclusion quickly. He pitied them a little as he watched. Kiba had had a thing for the shy Hyuuga Heiress forever, while Naruto hadn't understood that he reciprocated the girl's feelings until it was too late. Both of this was very well known around the whole village. Now, there was no chance for either of them anymore, and Kakashi couldn't help but feel a bit sympathetic._

"Poor Naruto, poor Kiba," _Sakura suddenly spoke up as the boys shoved down another tray of food._

_Kakashi didn't answer, because the 'Happy Couple' had just entered the Hall in still-formal-but-not-traditional-anymore clothes, and opened up the dance floor. The Icha-Icha-loving jounin quickly grabbed Sakura's hand, and followed the newlyweds' example. It wasn't a fast beat, but it wasn't some slow love song either, which was purpose, of that Kakashi was sure. He put his hands on Sakura's hips, and began to sway her hips along with his a little, watching her face to gauge her reaction. Under the dimmed lights of the room he couldn't see whether or not her blush had darkened, but seeing as she wasn't dientangling herself from him, and calling him a pervert, he supposed she was okay with this. He just moved them like that for a few minutes, before stepping into her personal bubble, until their thighs touched. He didn't want to embarrass her, or make her uncomfortable, but he couldn't help himself. The way she looked so sensual when dancing with him like that freely (he had stopped guiding her by now, though his hands were still on her hips), he couldn't help but wanting to touch her more intimately than just his hands firmly on her hips. He saw her avert her eyes, yet she didn't move away. Just like that very morning when she had watched him (un-)dress, it surprised him that she hadn't made for the door yet. Oh, how he wished he could know what she was thinking right now, then maybe he would understand why she put her arms around his neck to pull herself closer. Closer until she was flush against his body, her soft breasts squeezed against his front. Those perky mounds he had held once already, through the cloth of her bra. Those soft globes he wanted to hold and massage without anything in the way…_

_He shook his head to clear his thoughts, before his body could 'react' to his impure fantasies._

_Then, she grinded into him._

_And the concept of thought itself was erased from his mind!_

_**End of Flashback**_

_(Return to normal POV)_

His mind had barely been able to process his memeories as they tubled into her room and onto the bed. Kissing. Nibbling. Licking. Biting. _Scratching_. Her nails scratched over his jacket- well, her grandfather's jacket which he wore at the moment. He took no time in disregarding it one the floor, along with the matching tie. Had she been hesitant before, she was nothing but eager now, fumbling with the buttons of his shirt in the dark. She trusted him that he would keep his promise, and he knew he would. Even if it killed him, he would never betray her trust. She gave a frustrated groan when she couldn't get at his chest. Kakashi smirked, and quickly, but un-hurriedly unbuttoned his shirt. As soon as it was open, she shrugged it over his shoulders, not even waiting for him to remove it the rest of the way, and instead setting to run her nails over his exposed front with an appreciative growl. He stripped out of the garment, hissing himself at her touch, and leaned over to kiss her shoulder, just beside the strap that held up her dress. She groaned again, this time definitely not out of frustration. The unmasked jounin hooked a finger under the strap to lift it just slightly, so that he could give the skin underneath it a series of butterfly kisses.

A thin layer of sweat builded on their bodies.

Sakura squirmed beneath him. What he did felt so good, even though he was torturing her with those too-light caresses of his lips, but something felt wrong. Something felt… constricting. She felt her pulse quicken, and heard her breath come out in pants, but this time it wasn't from what he was doing to her. It couldn't be either, because he had stopped, obviously noticing that something wasn't right. She locked gazes with him, two hazed, emerald pools focusing on one smokey grey and one blood-red eye. She tried to look apologetic, she didn't know what was wrong with her. One minute she was enjoying his ministrations immensly, and the other she had to fight the urge to throw him off of her! She didn't understant.

But, apparently, he did…

Kakashi had noticed how her body reacted differently to his attentions the second it first happened. He noticed her go stiff as a board, her fingers clenching against his bare chest, her pulse quickening, and her breaths coming out in pants like a cornered animal. And he cursed himself! He should've known! He should've paid more attention! He was dominating her, for heaven's sake! Of course it would remind her body of what her consciousness was trying to forget. Her subconscious didn't care that her conscious knew that he would leave her alone if she just asked. To her subconscious this was a situation very similar to that with **him**, and Kakashi should've thought about that! He immediately rolled off of her, resting at her side, and softly kissing her jaw in a silent apology.

The difference made itself known instantaneously. Her pulse returned to it's normal aroused speed, her breath, while still ragged became deeper again, and she could feel her body relax. Her soft moan escaped her when her lover moved on to shower her throat with feather-light kisses, but the sound soon turned to a frustrated growl, once she felt her body react to the pleasure again. She reached out with one hand, wrapping it around his neck to pull his head closer, more forcefully against her neck. Kakashi seemed to take this as a sign to continue where he had left of, and she soon felt one of his hands on her stomach. It draw a few circles there, before it creeped up her side, and over her arm, pausing only a moment to squeeze her hand reassuringly. Once it reached her shoulder, his finger hooked under the strap of her dress again, this time moving it to the side, and down until most of her cleavage was exposed. His kisses quickly followed down her throat, sucking at the juncture of her neck, and her shoulder. Then kissing his way to her breastbone, and down the very same, until his lips brushed her dress, just between her breasts.

He bit down, having her almost scream his name as a reaction, while simultaneously sneaking a hand under the skirt of her dress. One finger brushed her inner thigh, just beside the cloth of her thong. He heard Sakura gasp, and looked up at her face, asking for permission. She was biting her lip, fighting down all the sounds that wanted to leave her, and make themselves known. He vowed to himself that he would hear each and every one of those. He stroked her thigh once more, only to have her suck in a breath. He nuzzled his nose against her cheek, trying to get her attention as his hand inched closer still, closer to that most secret area of her body. He knew that she knew that he wanted, needed an answer, that he wouldn't go any further without her explicit permission, and when she spread her legs apart a bit more, and nodded her head, her face flushed crimson, he took that as his cue. Grazing his finger against her moistened center, he relished the mewl she couldn't hold back any longer. At the sound he wondered for a second how the little hellcat was passing the night, but her following groan made him ask himself why he was thinking about the furball at all, when his very own hellcat was right here!

Sakura didn't understand what was happening. He was barely touching her- even though at her most sensitive spot- and her body was reacting in ways it had never reacted when she had touched herself. Not that she would ever admit it to anybody, but with her growth into a woman, certain needs had come into the forefront of her mind more often and more persistantly, until the only way to get rid of them and get some sleep was to indulge them. She had always felt embarrassed and a bit dirty when she was doing such things to herself, things that belonged into a relationship, but she couldn't help it. As soon as the tension was relieved she had always taken a shower, feeling bad for liking it so much to actually… 'you know'… But it had never, ever felt like what it felt like when it was a man doing all those thing to her. And not just any man, but Hatake Kakashi. It had never felt this good, not even close. She felt as if she was burning up inside when he was simply poking her through the material of her thong once every minute or so, but when his hand actually moved up to cup her, and his index finger fell into a rhythm rubbing along her folds (still through her thong), she was about ready to explode.

Kakashi propped himself up onto one elbow as his other hand continued it's ministrations against Sakura's core. He looked down the length of her writhing body, his hand hidden underneath her dress; inbetween her parted legs. When his gaze went up again, he noticed that her breasts were still covered. He thought about removing the offending cloth, but he decided to leave it, seeing as the action would entail leaving her core unattended to. And with the sounds she was making from his soft strokes, that was not an option. Instead, he leaned his head over them, and kissed them through the dress, elliciting a hearty moan in between all those mewls. He traced his tongue over where her peak would be, and felt it harden, before gently biting down on it. Her back arched off the bed at that, a gasp and a scream falling from her lips.

Her luscious, pink, perfect lips.

She felt him raised himself again, unable to resist the temptation that was her small mouth, and covered it with his own, his tongue invading her warm cavern with slow, sensual strokes. He timed each stroke of his tongue with a caress of his finger over her cloth-covered folds, soon having her buck her hips against his hand in search for relief. She was squirming helplessly under his attention, one arm over his shoulder and around his back (through the triangular space that came to be by Kakashi propping himself up on his elbow), nails digging into his back, the other hand fisted in the sheets below her, almost ripping them in her pleasure. She groaned loudly as he moved away from her lips, even if just slightly, and even if they were still brushing.

"Do you want me to kiss you?"

She barely registered the words.

"…You…you are kissing me."

"No, Sakura," he told her, chuckling darkly. "Do you want me to **kiss** you?"

As he asked that, his finger gave her core another rub, a hard one this time.

"Kakashi!" she breathed, finally understanding what he was asking.

She bit her lip, and opened her eyes. His hand had stopped to give her the possibility to regain her capacity to think. She looked at him, directly into his smoldering mismatched eyes. She could read his wish to pleasure her further, but she could also see that he would be true to his promise. If she said 'no', he wouldn't push her. But did she want to say 'no'? Did she want to say 'yes'? She was a little embarrassed at the thought of him _seeing_ her. She had never thought she would be in a position where it could happen to her one day. She had always thought it to be… kinky, at best… and wrong…and…bad. But as she thought about it now, she realized that it probably wasn't kinkier than masturbation, and she had done that before. And why not give it a try? If she didn't like it, she could always ask him to stop, right?

"Y-yes."

She still looked somewhat unsure in Kakashi's eyes, completely flushed and a little hesitant, but she spread her legs wider again, and hiked her dress up, so that his hand wasn't hidden by it anymore. Kakashi smiled, and kissed her tenderly as he moved himself to settle between her opened legs. Lifting them, he free her off her thong. Then he slid them over his shoulder, giving her thigh an encouraging squeeze, before lifting her up. He kissed the inside of her knee when she looked at him, confused.

"Look at me, Sakura."

"Pervert!" she squeaked, but couldn't look away.

"Look me in the eyes, Sakura."

She did.

He looked back. His gaze didn't drift away, didn't falter. He focused it on her eyes, where he would see the first sign that she wanted him to stop. He did it to guage her reaction, but although because it would distract her from her out-of-place embarrassment. She knew this. He kissed up her thigh from where his lips first touched the side of her knee. Once in a while, he let his tongue slip out of it's hiding place to lick over her sweaty skin. She watched as he closed in on her center, his mouth moving up and over her hipbone, until it rested just above her mound. A finger twirled some of the pink curls there, and pressed against her jewel once. She cried out softly at the sensation, buther eyes rested on his. She stared at him as his lips brushed over her mound, ready to kiss her most secret area. Watched as he parted them to engulf her feminine fol-

'KNOCK, KNOCK!!'

'_Damn!'_ both, Kakashi and Sakura cursed inwardly.

"I know only one person who knocks like that," the Copy Nin grunted, resting his chin on her thigh. "Maybe we could just not answer?"

Sakura almost laughed at his hopeful tone.

"Are you kidding?!" she asked incredulously. "Last time I didn't answer he brought down my door!"

Kakashi sighed, but stood. Helping her rearrange her dress, he followed her to the door grumpily. He decided to wring the blonde knucklehead's neck during their next training session. The silver-haired male didn't bother putting on a shirt, before Sakura opened the door to reveal a fidgeting Naruto and Sasuke, and the young woman was too flustered herself to notice it's missing.

"Kakashi-sensei, Sakura-chan… I hope we didn't wake you."

Kakashi smirked.

"No worries, Naruto. You didn't," he replied. "But you interrupted nonetheless."

Naruto looked at him, confused.

Sasuke looked at him, suspiscious.

Sakura looked at him, incredulous.

Kakashi's smirk grew smug!

"What brought you here, anyway?" he wanted to know from the two boys outside.

"Uh…oh… Tsunade-baa-chan finally ower-powered the Elders," Naruto said, gaining speed with every word. "The execution order is signed, the executionwillbeinexactlyeighthours."

**End of chapter 31!**

A/N: Ah, some lemony (or close to) goodness. I hope you enjoyed it. It wasn't the 'real thing' but... it was definitely something Sakura won't forget, ever. :)

**Please leave a review, and tell me what you think!**


	33. Finally Over

**_Kiss Me Goodnight_**

**KakaSaku**

**Chapter 33: Finally Over**

"Kakashi-sensei, Sakura-chan… I hope we didn't wake you."

Kakashi smirked.

"No worries, Naruto. You didn't," he replied. "But you interrupted nonetheless."

Naruto looked at him, confused.

Sasuke looked at him, suspiscious.

Sakura looked at him, incredulous.

Kakashi's smirk grew smug!

"What brought you here, anyway?" he wanted to know from the two boys outside.

"Uh…oh… Tsunade-baa-chan finally over-powered the Elders," Naruto said, gaining speed with every word. "The execution order is signed, the executionwillbeinexactlyeighthours."

Silence ensued as Kakashi's compromising sentences faded from everyone's minds, and the three males looked at their pink-haired friend, concerned. Sakura looked as if someone had just slapped her square over the face. Her eyes were wide, and her mouth agape. No sound left her lips, while she stared at the blonde who brought her the message. Said Kyuubi-container shifted on his feet nervously as she continued to stare at him. Sasuke, though not moving an inch, seemed just as uncomfortable. It showed in the way he was now finding the pattern on the floor so intresting. Kakashi on the other hand was not as shocked as he was satisfied. In his opinion, it was about time that this happened. However, he couldn't help but notice Sakura's uneasiness with the whole situation, and, without another word, he closed the door infront of Naruto's and Sasuke's noses, and lifted her into his arms. Carrying her to the couch, he let himself fall until he set with the younger kunoichi in his lap.

Sakura didn't waist any time in clinging to him. She snuggled as close as she could get, her nose burried into the crook of his neck, and her back arching into the soothing caresses of his hand. Her hands fisted themselves over his naked chest. She inhaled deeply, knowing that his musky scent would calm her nerves. Her body trembled ever so slightly as it remembered why her father was to be publicly beheadded. She could feel Kakashi's grip on her tighten, until she was flush against him, feeling his toned muscles through her silky dress. Feeling the strength of his body made her calm, her shivering ended, and her hands relaxed enough so that she could lay her palm over his heart to feel it's strong beat under the tips of her fingers. She nuzzled his neck when a content sigh escaped her lips. In her shock she had forgotten that he was there for her, always, and that she could do anything with him by her side. She breathed in his aroma once more, and softly kissed the underside of his chin, before pressing herself back into his emrace.

Kakashi smiled, relieved that she was feeling better. He was still a little miffled that they had been interrupted, but he understood the importance of the message, especially since it was on such short notice. Tsunade wanted to give them the time to make her relax, to let her make her peace with what was going to happen. Sakura was a kind woman, after all, and she had proven more than once that she still cared somewhat for her bastard father. She hadn't wanted him to die, but after he had escaped 'custody', and followed them to the Moon Country, Tsunade had taken that decision from her. Now, she obviously wanted to give Sakura time to decide whether or not she wanted to go to the execution, to think it all through, while at the same time get rid of the man as soon as possible- before the Elders came up with some other petty excuse why the man should be left alive. The Copy Nin felt a surge of rage for the Council. How could they want him alive after what he did? To hell with the financial benefit, he freaking raped his daughter!!

"Kakashi?"

"Hm?"

"I don't know what I should do," Sakura dmitted, and he could feel her press her lips together against his throat.

"Well, what do you want?"

"I… I want to be sure that he won't get the chance to hurt anybody again."

"Then you know what to do," the silver-haired man replied, squeezing her a little.

"But I don't know if…if I can watch…as…as they…"

He rubbed her arm.

"Ssh! It's okay. I'll be there," he whispered.

She slapped his arm.

"You'll enjoy it, won't you?" she accused him, raising herself a little to look him in the eye.

She was pouting. An angry pout that only turned into a scowl when her eyes found his. She could read the hidden satisfaction in it. Yes, he would enjoy it. He would sit among the spectators, and it wouldn't surprise her at all if he brought popcorn with him, and a coke. Or maybe a beer.

"Sakura," he said, sighing. "I will not deny that I'm happy he finally get's what he deserves. But I will not go there just to see him die. And quite frankly, if it was for me, I wouldn't grant him a quick death such as beheadment. I'll go because of you."

"Huh?"

"I'll go so you can hold onto me, if you need to. I'll go so you can cling to my arm with your hands, fingers digging into my skin hard enough to make me bleed, if necessary. I'll go so you can sit in my lap, or in between my legs, wrapped in my embrace as you are now. I'll go so you can burry your nose into my chest, if you don't want to look at it happening. I'll go so you have someone to lean on when your gazes meet, and he scowls at you- or worse. I'll go for you, Sakura, not for my own pleasure!"

Sakura smiled slowly. His voice was so sincere.

"I'm sorry," she murmured, leaning her forehead against his.

"It's alright," he answered.

One of Kakashi's hands came up to cup her cheek. His thumb once again traced circles over it's rosy skin, and he leaned forward to rest his forehead against hers. They closed their eyes, for a moment just feeling each other's presence, complete silence engulfing the apartment. A sigh fell from Sakura's lips, a sigh of relief and contentment. Her hands caressed their way up his arms until they rested upon his shoulders. She had a tight grip on them as if fearing he would disappear if she let go. Kakashi's hand at her cheek moved to cradle her head, while the other was placed on the small of her back. Then he proceeded to give her a kiss like none of the others before…

An Inuit kiss!

Sakura giggled when she felt his nose gently brush against hers, the feeling tickling her sensitive skin. She scrunched her nose a little, and heard Kakashi laugh silently. He was looking into her eyes as he continued to 'tickle' her nose with his. He gave a more insistant caress. Sakura, catching on to what he wanted, started to respong by rubbing her nose back against his. She was sure they would look like completely idiots if someone saw them now- or really cute- but she decided she didn't care as long as Kakashi's eyes remained focused on her with such affection.

And as long as the mask stayed nowhere to be seen.

"Come on!" he said after another minute of 'kissing'. "Let's get you tugged in." _'So that I can go get a cold shower- again!'_

Sakura giggled again, louder this time, as he started to carry her to the bedroom.

"Yeah, and this time you better not use your sharingan! I could be out for a week! What do you think Tsunade-shishou would say to that?!"

"She would skin me alive!" Kakashi joked, falling in with her laughter.

"And throw you into a cauldron of boiling oil!"

"And slice me into tiny little pieces, and serve me as food on your next birthday!"

"And don't forget castrating you!" Sakura teased.

"…Now, that was something I didn't need to think about, Sakura. Everything else I could handle, but never, ever tell a man that he would be doomed to live without sex- even if just for the short amount of time it takes for oil to start boiling," Kakashi admonished her.

Sakura only giggled louder.

"And-"

"Sakura!" Kakashi warned as he put her down on the bed gently.

She stuck out her tongue at him.

"**And**… we still have to visit Lee in the hospital."

"…"

"What is it?" Sakura asked, concerned when her lover didn't respond.

"The guy kidnapped you, and you want to visit him?" Kakashi retorted, incredulous.

"Kidnapped me?"

Ooops! Kakashi suddenly remembered that he hadn't told her that, yet.

"What do you mean, he kidnapped me?" Sakura demanded to know, obviously quite mad.

At that moment, Kakashi realized that his overdue icily shower would have to wait.

_'Damn!'_

**333333333333333333333**

"Do you think Sakura-can will be alright, teme?"

It was the first thing to be said between the Kyuubi-vessel and the last Uchiha after their former teacher had very nearly slammed the door shut infront of their noses. They had made their way back out of the apartement complex in complete and utter silence, the errie cry of some owl the only sound reaching their ears. Now they were walking down the village's empty main street. Above them they could see the sky, it's dark blue colour interrupted every now and again by the myriad of stars. They seemed to look down at the two elite shinobi, mocking them with their brilliance.

"I think she'll pull through," Sasuke replied after a few minutes.

"She looked pretty shocked when I told her," Naruto reminded him. "Do you think we did the righ thing?"

"Yes. She has the right to know, dobe," Sasuke said, and for once the blonde did not seem to take offence at the insult. "Kakashi-sensei is there with her."

Naruto bit his lip.

"I hope he can help her."

"So do I, dobe, so do I."

Silence encomppased them once more as they reached a forking in the street.

"What now, teme?" Naruto asked, unsure which way to turn.

"Now, we go tell Yamato-taichou and the others," Sasuke decided, and made his way straight to the left road. The Fourth's son seemed satisfied with that answer, and followed him quietly. By the road Sasuke was choosing they would arrive at Sai's apartment first. When Naruto spoke up again, the blue-haired boy froze.

"Where do you think did Kakashi-sensei leave his shirt? And why were they still wearing their formal clothing?"

Now what should a stoic Uchiha answer to that question. Especially considering that the one who asked was like a very, very, very over-protective brother towards their only female teammate. Should he tell the blonde of his suspiscions, and let it run it's course, watching from the sidelines how Kakashi handled it? Or should he make up an excuse, so as not to alert Naruto of what they had run into? Remembering that Sakura would probably maim him if something happened to her boyfriend, because of what he would answer now, he chose the second option.

"Ne, teme?"

"Uhm… they were probably just getting ready to sleep after some disgustingly romantic cuddling…"

"Ewww!"

'_Saved,'_ Sasuke thought.

That is, until Naruto opened his mouth once more:

"OH MY GOD, KAKASHI-SENSEI WASN'T WEARING HIS MASK! I FINALLY SAW HIS FACE, AND I DON'T EVEN REMEMBER!! SHIT! SHIT! SHIT!!"

Sasuke was just shocked at this revelation.

Why hadn't he thought of this sooner?

**3333333333333333333**

The arena was oddly full, including those directly involved in this whole affair, and their friends. As place for the execution the arena for the Chunin exams was ideal as it stood empty most of the year, unless the exams were taken. ANBU had it's own arena for their examination of the candidates, so there was no real use for this place, until in about three months. Therfore, the arena for the Chunin contest was just perfect for the Hokage's purpose. She made sure to have ANBU at every entrance, so that no one who wasn't invited to the 'party' could enter (like no friends of Haruno or the Council Members), and let every spectator take their seats in the auditorium right in the direction Haruno-san would be looking at.

"You're enjoying this a bit too much, don't you think?" Jiraya asked, boring a finger into his ear.

"Shut up!" Tsunade snapped. "He hurt my little Sakura-chan, and-"

"Don't you mean _Kakashi's_ 'little Sakura-chan'?" the white-haired man continued, ingoring her previous order.

"Grrr!"

Her stare pierced the other Sannin, but the old hermit managed to be unfazed- or was at least faking it very convincingly. He shrugged his shoulder at her death glare, and coughed once, indicating to the arena. Tsunade's gaze snapped back down, and a sadistic smirk made it's way onto her features as she watched Haruno be dragged onto the round battlefield by a very satisfied Anko. Ibiki was already waiting, sword in hand, as the purple-haired kunoichi brought the older man down onto his knees infront of the scarred shinobi.

"Definitely enjoying it too much," Jiraya muttered. "Not that I blame you."

"Shut up!" Tsunade barked once more. "I have business to attentd to."

Jiraya shrugged, sitting down, and starting to scribble something into his notebook. Tsunade wondered if he was doing what she had forbidden him to do: Including her apprentice (and Kakashi, but she could overlook that) in his next pervy book!

"What?" the Toad Sannin asked, raising an eyebrow at her. "I thought you had business you needed to attend to?"

Tsunade's eyebrow twitched, but she chose to ignore him for the moment, and concentrate on the bigger problem at hand. So, she turned to the arena…

The auditorium grew very quiet when the Hokage raised her hand.

"Haruno-san, do you know why you're here?" she asked, daring him to say 'no'.

"For doing my job as the father of that little wench! I shouldn't be here, Tsunade-sama, he should!" the man yelled back angrily, pointing an accusing finger at Kakashi, who sat beside Tsunade, his arm around Sakura's shoulder. The masked jounin didn't respond to the doomed man's insult, and instead shifted the pink-haired woman into his lap. "See! See, I'm right! He's fucking with my daughter, that little whore!"

Tsunade looked over at the couple, and saw Sakura flinch at the tone and words her father used towards her. Tears welled up in her emerald orbs. The honey-eyed woman knew that Sakura had only wanted to be loved by her father, but certainly not in such a distructional, 'unhealthy' way. She watched as the Copy Nin drew the younger woman closer, wrapping his arms around her small frame protectively. Her gaze softened when she saw her apprentice snuggle deeper into his embrace, watching what was happening in the arena below only out of the corner of her eye anymore. She noticed how Kakashi was rubbing her back in a comforting manner, and heard him whisper, though she was not able to understand the single words he said to the young medic.

"I don't see anything wrong in this picture," Tsunade announced as she tore her gaze from the couple. She suddenly felt the Copy Nin's surprised gaze one her person. Obviously, he thought she was angry at him for getting together with her apprentice. He wasn't completely off, but Tsunade knew that he would make Sakura happy, and that was all that matters. "You brought this relationship on by your own actions, Haruno-san, so I don't see why you should complain. You had a wonderful daughter by your side, a strong young woman and formidable kunoichi, and you could think of nothing better to do than abuse of her?"

The man didn't answer, and instead glared daggers at the Hokage.

"All you could think of was to manhandle her for your own sick pleasure. And now you're trying to destroy a good man's reputation to somewhat restore your own?" the blonde woman asked, seeing all their friends around her nod and glare at the man with fuming rage. She remembered how each of them had requested to be the one cutting his head off, but had dismissed all of them, because she knew how Sakura would look upon that with mixed feelings. "You disgust me. And you're a shame to Konoha. For your crimes you have been sentenced to death. You have been given the honorable way out, but you refused to see you commited a sin. Now, Konoha shall take matters into it's own hands by taking measures against you."

Fear crossed the man's face.

"Any last words?" Tsunade asked.

Sakura covered her ears, so as not to hear all the insults that would inevitably be thrown her way, and turned her head until she was facing her lover's chest. The silver-haired man rubbed her back some more, and leaned down to kiss the top of her head. His eyes (or eye), this Sakura knew, never left the scene below. She burried her nose deeper into his chest, inhaling his scent like she had last night. When she heard the sound of metal hitting wood, even through her hands, she knew it had cut through flesh and bone before, and it was over. She looked up at Kakashi. He looked down at her.

And kissed her forehead.

It was over.

**End of chapter 33!**

**A/N: Ah, now that that's over with...or is it? Hm... That's for me to know, and for you to find out! ;)**

For all my beloved reviewers, a little preview (and virtual cookies) of the next chapter:

_At that, her hands slipped beneath all his layers of clothing to caress his chest.__"Little minx," the Copy Nin called her once he had gotten over the shock. "Go ahead, but if I say stop, you better comply."_

_She wanted to explore, he'd let her explore._


	34. Try again

**Kiss Me Goodnight**

**KakaSaku**

**Warnings: …heavy lime / almost-lemon once again **

**Chapter 34: Try again (pun fully intended)**

They crashed on Sakura's living room couch, sitting in absolute silence for a few minutes. Each one of them musing about his or her own thoughts on what just happened. In Kakashi's case that meant, that he found Haruno's death way to easy and painless. Then again, there were rules and laws for such a thing as execution, in order to make sure the criminal's human rights would be respected. Hypocrisy, pure hypocrisy in a world where human rights didn't count much in the first place.

As for Sakura, she was currently trying to piece her feeling together so they'd make a complete picture. She wasn't sure what she felt about her father being dead. He had hurt her a lot, and the feeling at the forefront of her mind was definitely relief, but he was also her father, and she wished he wouldn't have died. Then again, she wished that he'd love her as well, and what had he done?! Didn't that show more than anything that you couldn't always get what you wanted? She looked over at Kakashi. At the man who had stood by her all this time! Who had been there for her, and turned out to love her! Who cared for her just as deeply as she cared for him!

Wasn't he proof that she did indeed get what she wanted, after all?!

"It's really over, isn't it? He won't be able to hurt me anymore, right?" she suddenly asked somewhat disbelieving, resting her head against his shoulder.

"It really is. He won't," Kakashi replied simply, rubbing her arm.

"That's good," she murmured.

"Hm," he agreed, letting himself fall onto his back, and dragging her down with him.

"…Kakashi?" Sakura spoke up again after a minute of silence. An idea had come to her. It would be a perfect distraction, and she could get back at him for the other day- in a good way!

"Hm?" he inquired.

"Can I kiss you?"

He looked at her, confused. He couldn't understand why she would feel the need to ask that. Sure, it had been him who had instignated most of their more or less sexual interaction, but she couldn't seriously be doubting that she had constant permission to kiss or touch him in any way she liked, right? The silver-haired man inclined his head to regard her for another moment.

"Of course."

"No, Kakashi," she responded, smiling slyly, if a little apprehensive. "Can I **kiss** you?"

At that, her hands slipped beneath all his layers of clothing to caress his chest.

"Little minx," the Copy Nin called her once he had gotten over the shock. "Go ahead, but if I say stop, you better comply."

She wanted to explore, he'd let her explore.

Nodding that she understood what he meant (that he would have to take a very cold shower at that point), she smiled again, before proceeding to open his jounin vest. Chihiro who'd been fighting over it with the Sharingan Warrior this morning in a vicious battle, seemed to decide that it was better to leave before things got too heated. Sakura giggled as she watched the kitten walk out of the room sulkingly. A gentle squeeze of Kakashi's hand against her arm, reminded her of the task at hand. Quickly helping him shrugg of the vest, she freed him of his navy blue sweater as well, leaving him in nothing but his skin-tight black shirt with attached mask. She traced her hands over his bare, muscular arm, and down his cloth-covered chest. The dark material was hugging his body so much that it didn't leave anything to the imagination. She could feel the flex of every muscle under her touch, and could even make out the scars that ran over his skin through the cloth.

Her lips descended onto his throat, and had his breathing go ragged. She wasn't even touching skin yet, and he felt his pulse quicken until it rreached a maddening pace. Adrenaline and a cocktail of other hormones rushed through his veins, his grip on her arms tightened just slightly as she softly traced the underside of his chin with her tongue. She shook herself free of his grasp, and immediately her hands came up, fingers hooking underneath his mask. Slowly, sensually she stripped his face of the cover, her lips placing themselves onto his temple, only to then follow her hands as she revealed his face to her hungry eyes again. Her lips were soft, her kisses light and shy. Even when she licked at his exposed skin once in a while, the look in her eyes told him that she didn't really know what she was doing, and was just imitating what he had done on previous occasions.

Meanwhile Sakura was fighting the urge to bite down upon her bottom lip, She thought that she must be looking pretty stupid with the way she was sprawled across his body, giving his nose a shy lick. It scrunched up at the touch of her tongue, a reaction she found quite endearing. She let her gaze flicker to his eyes, and saw how they had that smoldering note in them again. Desire shone brightly in those grey and red orbs, so did his love for her and the appreciation of what she was doing at the moment. She concluded that she must be doing something right at least. Softly kissing his lips, she felt him press back, not giving her any indication that he would try to deepen it.

This pleased her, because it meant that he would indeed let her have the reigns this time. She smiled prettily at him, and slipped her hands beneath his shirt as a reward again. Kakashi hissed, his back arching slightly to press his chest into her ministrations. Sakura smirked. She liked the power she had over him. She moved her hands up his chest underneath the material of his shirt, effectively hiking it up, but when he tried to sit up and rid himself of it, she pushed him back down upon the couch. She gave him another smirk, and moved her petite body down the length of his, so that her head was level with his chest. She showered the smooth skin with butterfly kisses, taking her sweet time to explore his body. Her hand found a scar that went over his shoulder (still hidden under the shirt) and down to where his breastbone began.

"Some Iwa-Nin tried to behead me, but missed a little. Tore my chest open instead. Took out eight medics to heal that, and even then just enough so that I would live," Kakashi answered without being asked. Apparently, him telling her battle stories during their 'interaction' turned her on or something, because he soon felt her place hot open mouth kisses along the visible line of his scar. His back arched again, and a groan escaped him, deeper and more primal than he had intended it to be, but she didn't seem scared. If anything, she obviously trusted him comepletely. Her lips moved on to trace the underside of his (flat) breast, and she was back to feather-light touches. Kakashi found it tantalizingly sweet. He wasn't sure whether to just lean back and enjoy it, or to urge her on. When her caresses stopped completely from one second to another, he raised his head to look at her. Her chin was placed on his stomach, and she was staring at his chest thoughtfully, as if she was contemplating on what to do next. Once she had made up her mind, he was shocked to see her kiss the dark bud, and found it tightening under her lips.

Sakura opened her mouth to give it a tentative lick. Kakashi's moan, and the way his body was writhing, barely controlled now, made her grin. She was on the right way, but she should probably hurry a bit as she could feel the moisture pooling between her own thighs, heat spreading through her nether regions. She switched peaks and engulfed the neglected one, while her fingers unconsciously traced circles around the one she had left behind. Her mouth suckled gently on the little piece of male flesh, relishing in the pants and hitched breaths and the groans of her partner, before she finally grazed her teeth over it. She felt Kakashi's hips buck involuntarily at the sensation, briefly allowing her to feel his 'excitement' against her lower abdomen. Sakura blushed as it brushed against her through all the layers of clothing in between, but decided to tease him a little further. He hadn't said 'stop' yet, after all!

Kakashi could feel her kisses moving south, and alrm bells went off in her head. What was she doing? Didn't she know how dangerous it was to explore that part of his body? What was she plotting? And how was he ever going to say 'stop' now? He opened his mouth to ask her, but his voice was gone, except for when he needed it to release another throaty moan from his mouth. She was now kissing his six-pack. Every one receiving an innocent-not-so-innocent lick, before she moved on to the next. Dear god, he really had a bad influence on her, didn't he? What kind of little minx had he created? It probably served him right that she was using his own sexuality against him now.

He shuddered when he felt her lips move along the hem of his pants. Sakura smirked against his skin a little. Her blush was darkening with every passing second, but she enjoyed her new-found power way too much to stop. Not to mention that he seemed to enjoy it as well. Her hand ghosted over the bulge in his pants once, and his hips gave another involuntary jerk. She wasn't quite sure what to do now. She knew that she wasn't ready to do what he had almost done for her yesterday- she blushed deep crimson at the mere thought. Though, strange enough, she didn't find it as 'eww' anymore as she had when Ino first told her about the arts of sex and this particular aspect (really, that girl talked too much when the day is long). She felt a strange twist in her stomach, and another rush of heat to her core at the thought about that 'conversation' (more like monologue of the blonde). The tension was quickly becoming unbearable. She had to do something about it. She raised herself until she was face to face with her lover to ask him what she should do about this burning in her when she felt his hands firmly on her hips, pulling her down into his lap and giving a first, slow grind.

"Aah," Sakura moaned, not at all mad about her loss of control.

Kakashi grunted in agreement. He gave another roll of his hips, doing his best to keep it gentle, but intense at the same time. He hadn't been able to stop himself from the motion, but judging by Sakura's reaction (and lack of her right hook) she didn't mind all that much. He kept it slow, so as not to frighten her, grinding up into her once in a minute or so. He looked at her face, rasing a hand from her waist to cup her cheek. She opened her eyes to look at him as he gave another grind, while helping her to move her hips in time with him.

"Do you want me to stop?" he asked, voice raspy.

"N-no-aah," she stammered, not because she was shy- which she was- but because she was interrupted by another grind.

"Do you want me to continue?" He had to be sure. He had to. There was no room for hesitance here, not even when he had every intention of keeping his pants on. Well, he had the intention of going further- eventually, not right now!

"I- I…want you to-"

'RING'

'_Damn!'_ they both thought. _'Not again.'_

"What is it with all these interruptions?" Sakura huffed, obviously indignant- much to Kakashi's amusement.

"If you don't pick up the phone, we'll never know," he replied.

Cursing under her breath, Sakura did just that. She talked to the person on the other side of the line for a minute, before turning back to her lover.

"Lee is allowed visits today."

Kakashi groaned, and not in pleasure.

"Now?"

"Get up," she answered. "We need to set things straight…And get a cold shower. People don't need to know what we've been up to."

_(45 minutes later- cold showers take time, you know…:P )_

Unhealthily clean white walls stared back at them as they made their way through the filled hallways, groaning, bickering and some yelps of pain their fellow companions. People didn't pay each other any mind, everyone here only for him- or herself, or someone close to them. Each of them were counting the seconds until they would be allowed to leave again, running from this sterile temple of health. However, people did look up if there was something more intresting than their little cuts and bruises to gawk at, and of course Leaf's newest couple wandering around the- by the Copy Nin- much hated hospital did make that list. Everyone seemed to forget what they had been doing seconds ago in favor of watching the two elites pass them by, hands enterwined.

Kakashi sighed.

"This is weird," Sakura admitted.

"Yeah," the silver-haired man agreed. "I don't even know most of these people."

"I do. I've patched most of them up at some point in time or another…"

"Freaky," the masked jounin said, and Sakura could just imagine the grin on his face. If he were one to grin, that is.

Shaking her head, she quickened her steps, and dragged him with her through their clasped hands. He gave her hand a squeeze, but refused to move any faster than they were already. Sakura had to resign herself to his pace, what with him being so much taller and bigger than her. And stronger. Well, unless she used her super-human strength, but she didn't think her fellow medics would appreciate that very much. She threw her lover an annoyed glance over her shoulder, but he appeared to be unfazed by her glare. Instead, his eye crinkled in a gentle smile, and he yanked her back carefully until she was by his side again, so that he could lay his arm around her shoulder.

Now, it was Sakura's turn to sigh.

"You're being ridiculous," she told him.

"Hm?"

"It's not like he will jump you or anything."

"'Hm… I wouldn't be so sure. Last time, he threw a kunai at me."

"But only to distract you, so he could get me to 'safety'. I refuse to believe that he would seriously hurt you," she answered, stubbornly.

"You better believe it," Kakashi murmured, more to himself than to his girlfriend.

"In any case, there is no need to purposefully move as slow as a slug, Kakashi," she admonished him. "You're just stalling the inevitable."

A grunt was the only answer she got as they finally halted infront of the hospital room they had been looking for. The pink-haired woman looked up into Kakashi's masked face, noticing how his jaw tensed with something she couldn't quite define. She didn't know whether it was anger or apprehension or both. Or maybe something else entirely. She did understand him tightening his hold of her, though. It was both a protective and a possessive gesutre, and she found herself blushing the tiniest bit. Without asking him if he was ready, because as a jounin he had to be, Sakura opened the door, and shoved him inside. The room was held simple, not much furniture. Just a bed, a nightstand with a vase for flowers, and a chair for a visitor to sit on. Sakura passed Kakashi, and went to sit down beside the bed, but not before placing the flower she had brought into the vase.

"Hi, Lee," she greeted him.

The boy, who had been staring out his window, ignoring them so far, turned with a look of surprise and joy. It soon turned into a scowl, though, when he noticed the silver-haired jounin standing behind Konoha's Cherry Blossom.

"Sakura-san, what is he doing here?"

Sakura flinched at his cold tone, and started fidgeting.

"I'm here to see how you're doing, Lee," Kakashi replied smoothly, his own voice devoid of any emotion. "Did the medics find out what jutsu hit you during your mission, that got your head so messed up?"

"No," Lee deadpanned. "Because there is nothing to find. I'm fine."

"Is that why you threw a kunai at my head?" Just a hint of sarcasm slipped into the Icha-Icha-addicted shinobi's tone of voice.

"I made a promise, and I intend on keeping it," Lee retorted angrily. "I will free Sakura-san from your grasp!"

"Lee!" Sakura interrupted. "You don't have to free me from anything. I'm fine, really. Kakashi is very good to me."

"Sakura-san!" Lee adressed his long-time love interest full of desperation. "Please wake up, Sakura-san! He's using his sharingan on you! He's bewitching you! Please, Sakura-san, wake up! Let me help you! Get away from him, he's not good for you."

Sakura sighed, and grasped the boy's hand.

"Lee," she began, " I'm fine. I really am… No, wait, that's not the right descritption of how I am. I'm not feeling just fine. I feel great! Fanstastic! Extraordinary!… There's nothing wrong in this picture, Lee. I love Kakashi, and Kakashi loves me. It's as simple as that. He's not 'bewitching' me in any way, except maybe that he's charming me by being a perfect gentlemen. He really does care for me, Lee. And I care for him as well! He's the one! He is the one, Lee. I'm happy. Please, tell me you're happy for me, Lee…"

She sniffled a little, tears welling up at the corner of her eyes. Her grip on the boy's hand tightened for a moment, before she let go to wipe away the wet droplets now streaming down her face. Her body was wracked in helpless sobs. Kakashi couldn't just look at this any longer. It might trigger another violent reaction from the brat, but he was not going to stand by while his girlfriend cried bitter tears! What kind of self-respecting male would do that?! If he did, than Lee would be right. He wouldn't deserve her at all. Not to mention that he hated to see her in any kind of pain! So, he stepped forwards, and crouched a little to kiss her cheek through his mask, her tears soaking through the silky material. His arm went around her shoulder again, negulfing her in his embrace. He felt Sakura lean back into him, sniffling still, but gradually calming down now.

Lee on the other hand was getting more worked up by the second- and not in a good way! Again, he had to witness how this man, this…pedophile touched and kissed this vulnerable beauty that set infront of him as if it was his right to do so! And Sakura must be under the heavy influence of his sharingan once more, because she wasn't fighting him at all. She was even leaning back into his touch!

This was too much!!

"LET GO OF HER, UNYOUTHFUL BAST-"

The green-clad Gai-clone made a grab for Kakashi's olive-coloured jounin vest to fling the Copy Nin over the bed, and throw him out the window, but only got a scratched hand out of the action along with an angry, possessive hiss. Out of one of the vest's pockets was popping up the head and the clawed paw of a black kitten with dangerously gleaming, yellow eyes. Kakashi looked down, and patted Chihiro's head. At this moment, he was thankful that the tiny furball was so very possessive of his vest, while this morning he had been about ready to wring the kitten's neck as he had barely made it into his vest without dieing of blood loss. Kakashi sighed once more. He should probably be counting his blessings. At least, her new-found love for his jounin vest kept her out of his hair…

Literally.

"Ouch!"

"Lee," Kakashi sighed.

„Lee!" Sakura screamed.

"Hiss!"

Sakura stood.

"Lee, I appreciate your concern, but it is misplaced. Kakashi is NOT hurting me in any way. He is NOT abusing of me. And he is most definitely NOT using his sharingan one me. What you witnessed from the tree outside my apartment- where you had no business anyway- was Kakashi putting me to sleep with his sharingan, so that we didn't do something we… or rather I was not ready for. He had agreed to wait, and he was only making sure that we didn't rush things in our relationship! Nothing more…" she ranted in his face. "It hurts me that you do not understand, or even try to. I'm sorry we wasted your time, please get better soon… Come one, Kakashi, let's go!"

"…Yeah, let's."

And without another word, they left.

_(15 minutes later on the street)_

"Jeez, that went well!" Sakura grumbled.

She chanced Kakashi a dark look.

"Hey, I wasn't the one that yelled at him," the Copy Nin defended himself, hands raised.

"I know… I… I just…"

She only ended in an exasperated sigh. Kakashi chuckled amusedly, and suggested to go see a movie or something. When he found her looking at him strangely, he explained that maybe it would take her mind off of things. The young woman bit her bottom lip nervously, and Kakashi could only guess what made her hesitate. Was it too cliché? Should he have come up with something more original? She seemed to be studying him out of the corner of her eyes while pausing on their way to make her decision.

"Uhm… okay," Sakura finally agreed after endless minutes.

"Then, let's go." Kakashi smiled at her from underneath his mask.

"But no Icha Icha movie!" Sakura suddenly screached. Embarrassed, she soon went beet-red.

Kakashi pouted. Sakura tried not to react, not to see him as a kicked puppy, or a lost child, or even a cute teddy bear. All things that you just wanted to hug to your chest, caress over it's head, and cuddle it till the morning. She tried, she really did, but it was so hard when he looked like that. Head ducked to look at her from under his eye-lashes, puppy-dog eyes…err… eye, nose crunching a bit, sniffling, bottom lip trembling slightly beneath his mask. Hands fidgeting a little. God, he looked so…cute… it should be forbidden! If he used this look on an enemy kunoichi, there was no way she would ever be able to resist him.

Hell, the devil himself wouldn't be able to resist the urge to take him in his arms!

"I…I…"

_'No, Sakura, don't say that. Don't.'_

"…I… oooo…"

_'You'll only get yourself in trouble.'_

"...kkkkk…'

_'Don't say it. You don't want to, so just don't.'_

"…okaaaaaaaa…"

_'Don't. You. Dare. Say. It.'_

_**'Oh, but look at him!' her Inner chimed in now. 'Doesn't he just look so totally… 'aww' ?!'**_

"…oh, okay," she gave in. She couldn't help it. Her Inner had been right, Kakashi was looking so 'aww' she could do nothing but gush over him. What girl could withstand such mental torture?

Kakashi smiled.

"I was just kidding, Sakura. You choose," he told her, enveloping her in a bear hug. "Though, they are actually quite instructive…"

She slapped his arm.

"Hentai!" she squeaked, but laughed anyway.

**End of chapter 34!**

**A/N: Well, this is the 34th. I'm sorry I didn't update before, but I had a friend of mine visiting, and we were mostly outdoors. So, I didn't have any time for posting. Thank you for understanding.**

**Please leave a review (and I'm gonna call you back - as in 'post the next chapter'- as soon as possible...)**

Preview:

_"I have a mission for you and… 'Kashi'. You are to take this scroll," At that she waved a green envelop infront of the other medic's face, "to the daimyou (sp?) of the Flower Country, and get another scroll back from him. Your mission will start tomorrow."_

_"Oh, okay! I'll tell Kakashi and the others-"_

_"This mission is solely for the two of you, Sakura," Tsunade informed her, trying to surpress her smirk. "And it's very important, so make sure yo don't mess it up, clear?…"_


	35. A strange, new mission

**_Kiss Me Goodnight_**

**KakaSaku**

**Warnings: …mentions of masturbation (rather explicit, too), and some kinky thoughts **

**Chapter** **35: A strange, new mission (among other things…)**

"I can't work like this!"

Sakura had barely entered her shishou's office when she right-out yelled at the startled woman, making the blonde drop her cup of sake. The small porcelain cup fell until it hit the wooden floor of the Hokage's office, where it shattered into a thousand pieces, dispersing themselves over the ground. Tsunade looked up at the furious kunoichi, and raised an eyebrow. She wondered if Sakura meant the vast ammount of duties she had been saddled with ever since she had returned to active duty a month ago.

"What do you mean, Sakura?" the Slug Sannin asked, faking to be oblivious.

"I mean Lee!" the pink-haired girl screached, tearing at her hair in despair, and pacing through her master's office like a caged tiger. "I can't work on his case anymore… I mean I want to, I really do, but it's just not possible. I've come to the conclusion that the other medics will be faster if I'm not there-"

"Why?" Tsunade asked, so that her apprentice would start at the beginning.

"Why? Why?!" Sakura went over to screaming again. "Everytime he even just sees me passing on the corridor, he yells at me to get away from Kashi! That he is not good for me. That he's 'bewitching' me. That I should go tell you how he's taking advantage of me when he isn't. Whenever I'm close enough, he grabs onto me, pleading, begging me to come to you to make a denunciation! And if Kashi comes visiting me in my office to eat lunch or something, and passes by Lee's room- I swear he does that on purpose- Lee won't stay in bed, and instead try to attack him! I- I just can't work like that, shishou!"

She turned to the blonde woman in despair, who, in turn, was relieved. She had feared that the pink-haired kunoichi had seen through her little plan, and was coming to give her a piece of her mind. She really was working more than any other medic in the hospital, and Tsunade was keeping her busy on purpose, but she hadn't known that Hatake had gone over to eat lunch in the hospital, just to spend some time with her. However, at the moment there was something else at the forefront of the Hokage's mind…

" 'Kashi' ?" the blonde asked.

Sakura blushed.

"Oh…uhm… yeah…" she said, fidgeting.

"Then what does he call you? 'Kura' ?"

"Uhm… no, he…he calls me…"

The rest was lost in a mumble.

"What?"

"…Wildcat or minx…" Sakura murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.

"WHAT?" Tsunade stood, and panicked a little. Had her plan not worked? "Then…you have…already…?"

"Huh?" Sakura looked up from her still fidgeting hands, then blushed some more as she caught on. "Oh…uhm…no. No, we haven't…"

The Godaime fell back into her seat, relieved.

Sakura blushed deeper, thinking of her past month with the Copy Nin. How they had survived without sex? Simple, both of them had been so busy- courtesy of Tsunade- that they had been able to do nothing at the end of their respective days, than fall into the bed, snuggle against each other and sleep. Well, okay, maybe sometimes when Kakashi had come over for lunch, they had made out a bit, but it had never progressed further due to the distinct lack of time. Not to mention that the hospital was a public location, even if they had eaten in her office. There was just no way she would give someone an eyeful, neither of herself, nor of Kakashi! She guarded the secrecy of his face just as jealously as he did, which had served highly to his amusement in the past weeks.

"But shishou…" Sakura spoke up again. "About Lee…"

"Don't worry, Sakura, you won't have to work on his case anymore for the time being."

"Huh?"

"I have a mission for you and… 'Kashi'. You are to take this scroll," At that she waved a green envelop infront of the other medic's face, "to the daimyou (sp?) of the Flower Country, and get another scroll back from him. Your mission will start tomorrow."

"Oh, okay! I'll tell Kakashi and the others-"

"This mission is solely for the two of you, Sakura," Tsunade informed her, trying to surpress her smirk. "And it's very important, so make sure yo don't mess it up, clear?…"

"Yes, shishou," Sakura answered, all business.

"Well then, you may go. Also, take the rest of the day off!"

Sakura took the scroll from her master's hands, and rushed out of the office with a little jump in her steps. Tsunade smiled at her young apprentice. Kakashi would probably see through the deceit, but that was just one of those 'oh, well…' situations you couldn't help. And it was a good thing, he would. Sakura, however, had probably never heard of the Flower Country before, so there was no way she'd understand the Godaime's real intentions. Now all the Slug Sannin had to do was to lean back, and hope for the best, because from now on, it was Hatake's job, not to mess it up!

"Shizune!"

"Yes?" the brown haired woman hurried into the room.

"Get me the old pervert!"

"Uhm… you mean Jiraya-sama?"

"Of course, I said the 'old pervert', after all…"

"Uh… yeah…right…" Shizune mumbled, before disappearing in a puff of smoke. Both of the women in the Hokage's office knew eactly where to find the 'old pervert', but this time they did not do so for the sake of all the innocent women in the bathhouse, and they didn't even do it in order to beat him up. Tsunade had a plan, and maybe there was even a bet to be made, so she waited patiently for the five minutes it took Shizune to find the right bathhouse, and drg the hermit back to the Hokage Tower.

"What the hell do you want now, woman?" he grunted, clearly not amused. "I need to do some research for my new book, and since you threatened to castrate me, if I spy on your precious little apprentice-"

"Actually, that's exactly what I want you to do."

"What?!" both Shizune and Jiraya asked.

"I just assigned them a mission in Flower Country. Do you think you could follow them, without being noticed, and tell me if Kakashi messed up later on?"

"That sounds like you actually want him to mess up," Jiraya noted.

"Yeah, a bit… So, do you?"

"Fine, I'm in. But no beating afterwards."

"No book, no beating, I promise!" Tsunade said.

Jiraya bit his lip thoughtfully, but relented. He'd have to write about something else, then, but hey, better than meeting Tsunade's fist.

"Okay."

**33333333333333333333333333**

"Kashi?" Sakura asked.

She stepped through the door, fully expecting to find the Sharingan Warrior to sit on her living room couch, reading, and instead entered an empty apartment. She looked onto the ktchen table for a note or something that would tell her where he went, but nothing was there. The pink-haired medic frowned. Kakashi wouldn't just leave without leaving her a message, would he? And where was Chihiro? Sakura could slap a hand over her forehead at her stupidity. Of course, wherever Kakashi was, the little cat was with him. As much as those two fought, they had really taken a liking to each other. But still, where was her lover? She walked up the stairs to her bedroom, thoughtfully, to change out of her medic uniform. In her room, she found Chihiro curled on her bed, but the Copy Nin was nowhere to be seen. Frowning deeper she walked over to the closet, but stopped when she heard a noise. Something deep, and yet smooth.

Something primal!

Sakura stiffened. What was that sound? Was there something in her apartment? An animal? Or another shinobi? Had someone been waiting for her to come home? Her father maybe, to repeat what… But no, he was dead! She had been at the funeral. She had seen his body, but then who was it. Suddenly another noise registered in her mind. The sound of the shower running! She heard her name being whispered, and went beet-red. Intuitively, she knew who had made that sound, and what was happening in her bathroom. Changing was all but forgotten as the shower was turned off, and she could hear steps coming into the direction of the bedroom. When the door opened, she wasn't at all surprised to find a very wet, very delicious looking Kakashi standing in the entrance. He looked at her, impossibly missing her blush, and scratched the back of his head in embarrassment.

"I…uhm…I'm sorry," he murmured.

"N-no, it's o-okay. I said…you could…" she stammered back, and it was true.

_**Flashback**_

_Sakura entered her apartment, and threw the keys onto the table. She felt like a dead woman, walking up the stairs to her bedroom by sheer power of will. She had pulled a double shift at the hospital, operated three heavily wounded ANBU, two hot-shot chunin that had needed to release some pent-up frustration by tearing each other apart, and who knows how many little scratches and bruises and what else. People came to the hospital for little nothings nowadays. She wanted nothing more than to fall onto the bed, and sleep. Kakashi had apparently come back a while ago, because he was already fast asleep with Chihiro on his chest when she finally snuggled into the covers, resting her head on his chest, just above the kitten. Chihiro was purring in her sleep, and Sakura found the picture they all made in her mind so adorable, she kissed first the tiny furball on the head, and then- too tired to raise herself again- her man onto his chest._

"You shouldn't do that," _Kakashi warned her._ "Don't get me started, I'm too tired."

_Sakura giggled, sleepily._

"Stop that!"_ he admonished._

_She only giggled more._

"Don't tell me a little kiss and a bit of giggling turns the great Copy Nin on?" _she asked back, coyly._

"I doubt you want to find out," _he grunted, voice strained._

_She was already having an effect on him, it seemed._

"Let me decide that," _she answered, caressing his hip lazily. Sleep could wait a few minutes of teasing, she decided, tracing the inside of his thigh, and feeling the forming erection in his boxers._

_He grasped her hand._

"Please, Sakura. All these cold showers are not good for me," _he told her._

_She blushed._

"Uhm… You could take a normal shower, and… you know… I mean… I wouldn't mind if you… uhm…"

"Masturbate?" _he provided._

_She blushed deeper, and slapped his arm, nodding._

_Kakashi looked at her, uncertain._

"I have done it, too, you know," _the medic blurted out._ "I mean, not since we… are together, but… I wouldn't mind."

_The finality in his voice seemed to appease him, and the silver-haired man decided she was fair game for some teasing of her own._

"You wouldn't mind, huh?… Would you enjoy the audio-show, then?" _he mocked, cocky smile in place._

"Maybe," _Sakura replied in a purr._

"Little minx," _Kakashi called her again. He had done so quite often since their almost-qualitiy time on her couch. He nuzzled her neck affectionately._

_Sakura giggled again._

_Kakashi groaned at the sound._

_**End of Flashback**_

She really had given him permission to masturbate in her shower, though she had never planned on listening in, no matter what she had said. It was a private issue, after all, and she wouldn't want him to listen or watch her do it herself either. Though she was sure, he would have no such inhibitions. In fact, the way he was watching her now, indicated that he would rather enjoy it, if she returned the favor. Needless to say, her blush increased tenfold, and she moved to slap his arm for being such a pervert again. However, he caught her hand and, bringing it to his lips, licked over her palm. Sakura gasped and shuddered at the sensation, but Kakashi was hardly finished. He placed her hand against his cheek for the time he sucked on her pulse genlty, then he moved her hand more and more around his neck with every inch of her arm he covered with his lips. When he reached her shoulder, he stepped fully into her semi-embrace, and nibbled at her skin. Sakura threw her head back in a powerful moan, while his lips latched onto her neck.

"You should try it, wildcat. You'd enjoy it."

"I know that I'd enjoy it, but I'm surely not going to do it while you're around to watch," she huffed indignantly.

"But that's exactly what you'd enjoy most," he mocked her, tainted her with scandalous, perverted thoughts that turned her on. Even more so, when he started nipping at her jawline, and kiss the dip between her chin and her lips.

She mewled needily.

Why wouldn't he just kiss her already?

She could feel his hands starting to move over her blouse, opening it, then his arms snake around her, so that he could unclasp her bra. Next, his hands moved over her hips, dragging the zipper of her medic skirt down with them. Oh, she knew this morning that she should have chosen the other attire. Her medic uniform came with pants as well. Why hadn't she chosen the pants? Not that it would stop him, but it wouldn't make it so goddamn easy for him, either. Her hands came up to rest on his strong shoulders, in order to keep her upright, but one of his hands took one of hers away, while the other encircled her back once again. His lips moved to her ear, biting down on it gently, before speaking against it.

"Touch yourself, Sakura," he whispered seductively, his breath fanning over her the shell of her ear, her cheek and her neck. "Show me how to please you."

"Y-you know…h-how to pl-please m-me," she resisted still, knowing that, in the end, she would give in, could do nothing but give into his wishes.

"But you know better," the silver-haired male replied, suckling at her earlobe.

Sakura whimpered, all the fight leaving her. She gave in, succumbed to the need to be touched, even if it was by herself. And he was right, she did enjoy the thought of him being there with her, watching her, learning from her how to please her body. The hand he had been loosely holding in his own moved, and Kakashi's hand moved with it, covering it, eager to learn. She traced her neck with the tip of her index finger, drawing patterns onto her burning skin as she went. She followed first one shoulder, then the other, tantalizingly slow and soft, barely touching her skin with the nail. Then, her hand suddenly shifted down into the valley between her breasts in a rough motion, touching the soft skin with her flat palm. While she had whimpered before, now she moaned lowly, writhing under the touch of her own hand, as it went down over her stomach.

Then it lazily traced patterns again.

The other hand slipped from his shoulder, as she leaned back, fully trusting him to keep her upright. Her head fell back, and her back arched, and he could've shoved the bra out of the way, and engulfed her breast with his mouth, but that would've just killed the purpose of the whole game. Instead, he watched as her own hand slipped underneath the offending garment to cup her full breast. He tugged the piece of cloth far enough away to see her tease her nipple until it was fully hardened. Groans and mewls fell from her lips that turned to a loud cry of pleasure once her hand snuck into her panties. He contemplated moving those out of the way as well, but it would probably startle her too much, so he sticked to watching her hand move beneath the cloth. Imagining how she was rubbing a finger in between her folds, much like he had done a few weeks ago, but without the fabric covering her most secret spot. A spot he had almost been able to kiss, if Naruto had just showed up a few minutes later.

Sakura, of course, didn't know anything about the train of thought of her lover, though he had felt him tug on her bra. She had been embarrassed, but her inner had quickly reminded her that he had seen more secret places of her anatomy. Blushing, she had slipped a hand to the place her Other Self had been talking about, picturing him touching her again, without her panties to hinder it. A cry left her at the mere thought, and her hand quickened the pace at which it teased her feminine flesh, tugging at her skin, eliciting more cries from the pink-haired kunoichi. She carefully inserted a finger into her weeping entrance, and felt it convulse around it tightly. She imagined it to be Kakashi's finger as she started to rock her hips against it with slow, but powerful and desperate thrust. She felt the heat in her begin to boil, the tight knot dissolving as stars exploded infront of her vision.

"Kashi," she whispered breathlessly.

She heard a grunt of "Sakura" come as a response, and realized in the back of her mind that watching her please herself to a climax and breathing his name had been enough to drive him over the edge as well.

Sweet, in a kinky kind of way…

They stood there for a moment, panting, before even Kakashi's legs gave out, and they landed on the wooden floor with a 'thump'. Rubbing her hurting behind, while being held tightly by an overly affectionate Copy Nin, she realized that she had something to tell him.

"We have a mission," Sakura suddenly announced. "Shishou wants us to get a scroll to the daimyou of the Flower Country, and bring another back. We are to leae tomorrow."

"Did you say 'Flower Country', Sakura?" Kakashi asked, after he regained control of his voice, even though it sounded rather raspy.

"Yeah, why? Is there something wrong with that?… Come to think of it, I've never heard of that country before."

"That doesn't surprise me. It's a rather small island in the south. There is not a single shinobi in that country, either. They are completely peaceful, and live by growing… well, flowers. They use an original jutsu to make them almost 'immortal', but Ino could tell you more about that- the Yamanaka have been after that jutsu for decades. The inhabitants are pretty segretive about that, though, but otherwise the people there are really nice."

"I thought you said there were no shinobi? So, how do they use jutsu?"

"Like here in fire, some of them could become shinobi, if they trained, but they prefer not to."

"Than how do you know so much about them?" Now, she was intrigued.

"The Flower Country is the only country in our world that doesn't have a single ninja, and it's not enemies with any of the Five Great Shinobi Nations, which makes it the perfect place for peace treaties and such. After the Third Shinobi World War, the leaders of the Five Countries met there to discuss the terms of peace, and the Flower Country's daimyou worked as their mediator. I was there. I was one of the guards sensei- uhm, I mean the Fourth brought with him. That was shortly before the Kyuubi attacked…" the Copy Nin explained silently. Remembering his fallen comrades and friends was always a painful affair.

"Oh, I see," Sakura said, rubbing his arm in comfort, and hugging his head to her chest.

"But what could Tsunade want from the daimyou, then?" she wondered. "We aren't at war at the moment."

To this, Kakashi did not answer.

**_End of chapter 35!  
_**  
**_A/N:_** _'blushes' **I can't believe I wrote that! I mean I wrote smutty things before, but never a masturbation scene... I hope it didn't sound too sappy, or unrealistic or so...  
And what could Tsunade be up to, hm?**_

**Preview:**

_Jiraya scratched his nose._

_Leaning against a tree in the daimyou's palace garden, he watched as Sakura proceeded to slap Kakashi across the back of his head, and Kakashi growled something in return, and then they fought, and the Toad Sannin was very sure that Tsunade's plan had failed within the first two days._


	36. On our way

**_Kiss Me Goodnight_**

**KakaSaku**

_**TO Hoshi Light (about your last p.m.):**_ _I'm still thinking. I have a general idea, but I just don't know where to start. If you have any suggestions or wishes, please, feel free to tell me. I could use a good push in the right direction :) Thank you!_

**Chapter** **36: On our way**

They travelled high-speed, only stopping once at a small tea house that would have been on their way, if they had walked on the ground. Tsunade had left them with nothing but a day and a half to get to the Flower Country, and meet the current feudal lord. The Copy Nin had grumbled when he noticed this, muttering curses at his leader for it was far too obvious what was going on- well, to him anyway. Sakura couldn't put the pieces together, but that was because she'd never even heard of the Flower Country before, and had obviously never come across it when she was younger and still day-dreaming about Sasuke either.

And Kakashi was not telling!

Instead of pondering the whole matter, though, the pink-haired woman concentrated to keep up the incredible speed they were running at. She had trained hard to become faster, in order to be able to dodge any and all attacks, but she couldn't match her lover. At least not permanently. Knowing this, knowing that his girlfriend would need some rest soon, and also knowing that she would be far too stubborn to admit it, Kakashi just dropped down onto the ground once he spotted the tea house. Sakura followed suite quickly, breathing an almost inaudible sigh of relief, but the sharingan-user heard it anyway, and chuckled.

"Let's stop here for a moment," Kakashi suggested. "I'm kinda hungry..."

"Okay!" the younger medic chirped.

Kakashi chuckled again, before placing a hand on the small of her back, leading her inside. They were greeted warmly by a young waitress, until she saw them, that is. She must be around Sakura's own age, and once she noticed the silver-haired man's hand on the pink-haired girl she frowned. Sakura could've groaned. She couldn't take another waitress that wanted to flirt with Kakashi, while sending her death glares.

"So…uhm…a table for two, then? For you and your…daughter?"

Kakashi rubbed the back of his neck.

"Actually, I'm his girlfriend. And yes, we'll take a table for two, thank you very much," Sakura retorted angrily.

The young woman, and now the rest of the customers too, looked at them, scowl on their faces. A group of older women on the right side bristled with indignation, and two teenage boys whispered lecherous comments. At least until Kakashi gave them one measured look. Harsh whispers followed them as they were led to their table in the middle of the room, intentionally robbing them of any privacy one of the tables in the corners would have given them, and those were few in numbers already. Kakashi didn't seem to mind, though, while Sakura was fuming. She couldn't believe how her lover could remain so unfazed. The Copy Nin calmly ordered their tea and some food, then excused himself to the bathroom while they were waiting for the food. This seemed to be some sort of code, because immediately the young waitress, the teenage boys, and the older women were by her side, all to give her a hard time.

"What are you doing here with someone like him?" the waitress asked instantly.

"Like him?" Sakura inquired, too surprised at being cornered to be angry.

"An old man like him, dear," one of the older womentold her.

"And what's up with that mask? Is he ugly or what?" another wanted to know.

"He must be, why else would he cover his face?!" one of the teenage boys said.

"Ugh! You mean like… fish lips, or buck teeth…"

"… or a tiny little mouth…"

"… or he's scars everywhere!"

"And he's covering his eye, too!"

"Probably only an empty socket behind that headband…"

"Or-"

"Enough!" Sakura barked at them. "For your information. Shinobi get assigned on mission, so it's not like we chose to do this together- not that I complain. Second: He had neither fish lips, nor buck teeth, nor a tiny mouth. He has only one scar on his face, running over his eye and a bit of his cheek, and it only adds to his good looks. Makes him look manly, or whatever you want to call it. He has both eyes, though I'm sure you wouldn't very much like to see the other. And he's only covering his face, because he's so devilishly handsome that he'd always be chased by girls, who I would have to beat down with a stick, if he didn't."

"But he's old!" the waitress protested.

"He's not old. I know his hair doesn't give the impression, but he's just 31."

"Really?"

"Yes, really. And besides, older just means more experienced in many ways," Sakura replied, a blush creeping onto her face. "And I'd chose an older guy, who knows what he's doing, over a hormonal, experimenting boy any day."

"I bet I could change your mind about that!" one of the boys suggested.

Sakura looked at him. He was tall and handsome, no doubt there. Smoth blonde hair framing his tanned face, grey eyes piercing into her like blades. His mouth was curved into a smug smirk, as his tongue came out to lick over his lips sensually. Sakura frowned. If Kakashi would be doing that, she'd be putty in his hands, but on this guy it just looked…wrong. Blasphemic, even. She jerked her head to the side with an indignant huff, and hoped her boyfriend would come back soon.

"Thank you, but no thank you!"

"Oh, come on, babe," the boy whispered into her ear seductively as he leaned down. "I promise you won't regret it."

"I'm not interested."

He grabbed her arm, and pulled her up, then twisted her chin, so that she would have to look at him. They were close, so very close, mere inches separating their faces. Sakura gulped. The boy was getting closer with every rapid beat of her heart. Who the hell did he think he was? She had told him that she wasn't interested, and her boyfriend was just in the other room. What the hell was wrong with that guy? He couldn't be seriously consirdering to kiss her, could he? Even if he was a hormonal, experimenting boy! Surely, he would know what was good for him, right?

Apparently not, because he was still leaning in.

"My, my, you sure have a death wish, don't you?" Kakashi's cheery voice came from behind Sakura. "Why else would you be trying to kiss a kunoichi of the Leaf that clearly stated that she wasn't interested? Especially the Hokage's apprentice. Poor thing… I'll make sure they write something nice onto your gravestone."

"G-gravestone?" the boy suddenly stammered, all cocky attitude gone.

In response, Kakashi pointed at the young woman he had been just about to kiss.

Looking down, the boy realized his mistake. He should've stopped while he was ahead. Now he was holding a furious looking, growling, eyebrow-twitching, fist-shaking kunoichi by her arm. The girl's green eyes closed in an almost desperate looking attempt to control her temper- and quite obviously failing to accomplish this- she swung her fist back to strike, and punched him square in the face. The poor boy went flying through the roof, landing just outside the door of the tea house.

The small crowd that had gathered around her quickly dispersed.

"Please pack up our order. We'll take it with us, and eat on the way," she stated as calmly as she could.

The waitress nodded dumbly, and went to fetch their meals.

"You didn't put too much chakra into that one, did you?" Kakashi inquired.

"I didn't put **any** chakra into that one, Kashi."

"Really?…Wow."

And his eyes crinkled.

Sakura blushed, but rose to her tip toes to give him a peck on the cheek for his compliment. However, the Copy Nin had something else in mind. He turned his face, so that she kissed him fully on the lips. It was a kiss through the mask, but that didn't make it any less passionate. When he finally let go of her when the box with their food arrived, Sakura's blush was as deeply red as a real cherry, her hands raised up to cover her lowers face in embarrassment to being kissed so sensually infront of all these people. That he had kissed her quite the same way during her Birthday Party didn't matter, because that had been around people who knew them, and whom she trusted. Well, most of them, anyways. But under the eyes of these strangers, she felt awkward.

Her lover just chuckled, and let her out.

**3333333333333333**

"It's beautiful here!" Sakura chirped, stretching.

Kakashi on the other hand plopped down onto the bed exhausted almost eighteen hours later. They had just arrived in the Flower Country (with the very last ferry of the day, no less) after running for the better part of the day, jumping from branch to branch or roof to roof, even eating while running, because otherwise they wouldn't make it in time. After getting off the ferry they had immediately made their way to the daimyou's castle, and had been led to their room to rest until a late dinner would be served.

How Sakura could still have so much energy was beyond him.

'_Ah, to be young again…'_ the Copy Nin mused, chuckling.

"Hey, what do you think? How about we go for a walk? I'd like to take a closer look at those flowers on our way here."

"It's called Flower Country, Sakura. There are thousands of different flowers around here, you'll have to be a little bit more specific," Kakashi groaned. He didn't feel like moving.

"The one's that were blossoming along the road. I've heard of flowers that blossom at night, but I've never actually seen one."

"You'll see them tomorrow, after the meeting with the feudal lord. We need to get a few things from town anyway."

"But they won't be blossoming tomorrow. Not during the day, at least," the pink-haired medic protested.

Kakashi grunted.

"Come on, I'll make it worth your while," the young woman replied suggestively.

Kakashi's ears perked up.

"Like…how?" he asked.

"Is your dirty mind getting the better of you again, hm?" she teased, sitting down beside him, and tracing a finger over his jaw. "Well, look… Seeing those flowers would make me happy, and if I'm happy I'm more inclined to do…_things_, you know? And you want to do _things_…with me, right?"

Her hands fluttered across his abs, and going south.

Kakashi moaned.

Sakura lay down beside him, but placed her upper body over his. Her soft breasts flattened against his hard chest. Her hand was now caressing his inner thigh through his pants, while the other was fisting in his hair. She wriggled a little, causing friction between her cloth-covered bosom and his naked skin. He had pulled off his shirt before falling onto the bed, and was now almost regretting doing so. Almost. When Sakura kissed his chin slightly, before pulling away and looking at him with her best puppy-dog eyes, he couldn't resist anymore.

"After…dinner, okay? After dinner, I'll take you wherever you want?"

"That sounds kinky, when you say it," she giggled back.

"That's why you love me… And besides, who' caressing who's thigh, hm?"

"Touché…" She smiled at him, and was about to stand up, when his arms stopped her. "Kashi?"

"Always finish what you started, Sakura," said silver-haired man whispered huskily into her ear, just as his hand moved down to give her ass a good grope.

A possessive grope.

Sakura squeaked, and slapped his arm. Kakashi's hand came up behind her head, dragging her down to him for a kiss, when there was a knock at their door, and the voice of a servent, who told them that she'd brought their meal. Sighing, the Copy Nin let go of his lover, so she could answer the door, and turned to his side, back facing the door, so that the other woman wouldn't be able to see his face. Sakura made sure he was turned around, before answering the door. Infront of her stood another young woman, telling her what the cook had made for them (and how he was angry at them for being roused at this ungodly hour), while simultaneously trying to get a glimpse of the medic's male counterpart within the room. Sakura growled lowly to make the woman aware that the Sharingan Warrior was taken, and grabbed the tray, before shutting the door right infront of the woman's flustered face. Grumbling, she walked over to where her lover was now sitting up on the bed.

"Can you believe that woman?"

"Actually, I can."

She sent him a death glare, and set down the food inbetween them as she sat on the bed herself. She handed him his pair of chopsticks, and they began to eat quietly. Until suddenly, Sakura gasped.

"What is it?"

"Oh no, we forgot Chihiro! She's still at my apartment! Oh, no!"

"Oh, is that all?" Kakashi inquired.

Another glare was sent his way.

"What do you mean "Is that all?",hm? She's just a kitten, locked up in my apartment without food for a week, Kakashi! A week!"

"I wouldn't worry about that."

"WHAT? How can you be so insensible, so uncaring. Chihiro is just a small kit-" Sakura started to rant, but stopped when she noticed her lover pointing at his chopsticks. Looking down, she found the object of her worry holding onto Kakashi's hand with one paw to push it down, and biting down into the piece of grilled meat the jounin had been intending to eat mere moments ago. "-oh…hehehe…"

"Get.That.Hellcat.Out.Of.My.Food," Kakashi growled.

Sakura just laughed, but picked the kitten up anyway to squash it against her chest, mumbling how worried she was, and that Chihiro mustn't ever scare her like that again. Then, the pink-haired medic looked up at Kakashi, who was wiping his chopsticks clean with a napkin, and waited for him to look at her. When he did, she asked him, where Chihiro had been this whole time, because she hadn't noticed any bulge in his vest pocket.

"Uh…I…put her into my backpack…"

"You did WHAT?"

**33333333333333333333333333**

Jiraya scratched his nose.

Leaning against a tree in the daimyou's palace garden, he watched as Sakura proceeded to slap Kakashi across the back of his head, and Kakashi growled something in return, and then they fought, and the Toad Sannin was very sure that Tsunade's plan had failed within the first two days. His opinion, however, was changed when he watched the Copy Nin give Sakura a thorough kiss in the middle of their heated argument, and saw the Mini-Tsunade melt away under the jounin's lips, all anger leaving her. She even let go of her kitten that landed on the soft matress, and sent the couple an indignant glance. Neither seemed to notice, though, seeing as their kisses just got more intense, Kakashi's arms sneaking around Sakura's waist, and her hands fisting in his silver mane.

Jiraya blushed.

Incredible? Maybe, but true nonetheless. Contrary to popular beliefs, the white-haired Sannin did have moralities, and though he had watched lovers in heat before, he always felt somewhat guilty for prying. In this case, though, the lovers in heat- or almost- were two of his closest friends, not to mention two of the strongest jounin of the Leaf. If Kakashi detected his scent, he would send the white-haired shinobi into another dimension for sure. But if Sakura found him first… He sent a silent prayer to the heavens that that would not happen as he focused his attention back on the couple in the room.

They had stopped kissing.

Sakura had gone over to craddling Kakashi's head against her chest, allowing the man who was obviously half asleep to use it as a pillow. Her arms were around his head protectively, and his hand was lazily moving up to embrace her, while the other arm could be found already tugged around her neck. The Copy Nin seemed to suddenly detect something, because he raised his head in alert, and Jiraya stiffened. For a panicking second he wondered if he had been discovered, but then he could watch Kakashi pick up the black kitten, and tug it under his chin, softly caressing it with his thumb.

'_So cute'_, Jiraya thought.

**End of chapter 36!**

**A/N: Aren't they adorable?... Nothing left to say, but: Please review!**

**Preview:**

_"I wonder what is in this scroll, the daimyou gave us?" Sakura mused._

_"Flowers," Kakashi deadpanned._

_"Huh?"_


	37. Finally!

**_Kiss Me Goodnight_**

**KakaSaku**

**Warnings:...finally some much-needed lemon... ;)**

**Chapter** **37: Finally**

The next morning Kakashi woke her just before sunrise. She was a bit- very- annoyed that he would shake her out of the wonderful dream she'd had, but her heart melted when she realized that he had done it to keep his promise. So, he led her outside to watch the night-blooming flowers that lined the street, which ended in front of the daimyou's palace. Even though it was several hours 'after dinner' when Sakura finally got to study the dark blossoms, she was very touched that he had remembered at all. The Copy Nin wasn't usually the most thoughtful or romantic person, but, then again, she couldn't remember a time when he hadn't honored his word to her.

"They're beautiful," the pink-haired woman whispered as she knelt down in front of a particular pretty one.

"Not as much as you," Kakashi told her, standing by her side, reading his porn.

"That's so cliché, Kashi!"

"Still true, though."

"Aww, thanks! I'm flattered," she breathed.

"The truth is never flattery," the silver-haired jounin murmured into his novel.

Sakura turned slightly to watch him. Cocking her head, she studied his features. He was a lot like the flower she was admiring, she decided, though she would never say that out loud. But in the back of her mind, she noted the similarities and tugged them away for further inspection upon another day. The most obvious one was probably that they both seemed to 'blossom' in the dark. Kakashi was usually more comfortable when he was hidden, when no one could see him- maybe except for her! Or when everyone was too occupied, meaning drunk, to remember any betraying word or gesture, like it was the case when they and their fellow jounin indulged in a night of bar-hopping. Then there was the fact that, though masked in boring-looking clothes, the man was beautiful! The flower, too, didn't look very appealing on first sight with it's dark, dull petals, but if you took a closer look, you'd notice that the small blossom emitted an intoxicating scent, soft and full. A bit musky, just like her man!

Sakura grinned at the comparision.

Good thing Kakashi still could not read people's thoughts!

"What are you grinning at me like a fool?"

Sakura shivered lightly. His voice was smooth, deep. Baritone. Dark. Mysterious. Burning her ears and her skin. It was a voice just made for seduction! She wasn't sure if he was doing that on purpose, or if he simply didn't know what he was doing to her in the first place. Judging by what she had heard years ago already about his prowess in the bedroom, she was fairly certain it wasn't the latter. A quick glance at his masked face confirmed her suspicion that he was mocking her. Wanting her to feel needy and on the edge until there was nothing on her mind but him!

Not that there were much other things on her mind anyway…

"…I…I…" she whispered, whimpered, couldn't string the sentence together. She had wanted that man for so long, and now it just all seemed to come to a culmination. (and the fact that Chihiro was travelling in his pocket, head poking out, did not help in the least) "…I…w-wa…wan…wan-t-"

"Hatake-san, Haruno-san, the daimyou is now ready to speak to you," one of the palace guards informed them, waving for them to follow him as he led the way.

Sakura slapped Kakashi's arm as she raised herself.

"Ow! What was that for?" he complained.

"You knew the guard was coming! And you still did that!" she huffed at him, pouting.

"You can't say you didn't like it," Kakashi argued teasingly. "I saw the dreamy expression on your face. If anything, you really enjoyed it… Sent shivers down your spine, didn't it?"

There it was again, that too-sensual voice.

Sakura prefered not to answer, but a squeak escaped her anyway. The feeling he could ignite in her with just a few well-chosen words rolling of his tongue… Instead of following that train of thoughts, which would undoubtedly lead to thoughts of what else he could do with that tongue- and had almost done, once (curse Naruto)- she opted for the safer way to focus on the meeting with the feudal lord. As they entered the conference room of his palace, the daimyou was already seated. He was an eldery man with a gentle expression on his wrinkled features. Strands of grey hair were neatly combed back, and barely visible under his black hat. He wore traditional clothing; a heavy kimono, and tabi socks; and was sitting on a pillow on the ground. In front of him were two more pillows, where Sakura and Kakashi sat down, once the introduction had been made, and the formalities exchanged.

The meeting went smooth as the feudal lord of the Flower Country was a very nice man who seemed to have not forgotten how it was to be young, and thus wanted to get this over with as soon as possible, because he could practically see Sakura's eagerness to explore the island. And even though he heard the Copy Nin sigh as he informed the pink-haired beauty about the best places to go, he knew by the loving look the older male regarded the young woman with that he would endure anything as long as it made her happy.

'Ah, young love,' the daimyou thought, remembering what Tsunade had written to him about these two shinobi. He had been rather disturbed by the idea of a student and a teacher dating, even if they were now equals, but looking at them now just seemed to let them grow on his heart. 'So adorable…'

"Well, if that will be all, Haruki-sama. The day is getting shorter, and Sakura has a lot of plans already," Kakashi told him evenly, diplomatically, though it was obvious that he was just dying to get out of the room, and, probably, back to his smut.

"Of course!" the daiymou exclaimed. "I wouldn't want you to miss anything during your short stay, because you were confined in the same room as an old man. Just wait a few minutes more, I'll tell my cooks to make a picnic basket for you."

"That's very nice of you," Kakashi replied, another sigh escaping his lips.

Sakura elbowed him in the rips.

"What he means is: Thank you very much, Haruki-sama," she rephrased, her eyes lighting up with happiness.

"It is my pleasure, dear," the feudal lord answered back with a smile.

Fifeteen minutes later the pair walked out of the main gate, Kakashi with a basket full of all kinds of food in one hand, Icha Icha in the other. Meanwhile, Sakura was reprimanding him about being impolite, crude, insensitive, and what else. You didn't just treat a daimyou that way. You didn't just treat anyone that way, period! Especially, when they are being so very nice to you! As she continued to rant why they walked down the streets, Sakura was so much into her lecture that she didn't look where she was going. She tripped, stumbled, fell, the scroll the daimyou had given them flying through the air as she had fingered it while complaining to him. Not particularily caring if that piece of paper was damaged, Kakashi sneaked an arm around Sakura to steady her, and pulled her into him to counter the force of the fall.

Thus she ended up with her nose in his shirt-covered chest.

He had forgone the baggy, navy-blue sweater and vest this time, leaving them in the care of one servant in the palace, thus ending in Chihiro curled atop his head again, but 'oh well'… He had been a little miffled at first, but then he had to admit that it was his own fault. Now, however, Sakura was actually very grateful that he had done what he had done, because, this way, she could feel all the hard muscle underneath his skin-tight shirt. A bright red blush stained her cheeks, but she rubbed her nose into his chest anyway to take a deep breath of his manly scent. Kakashi squeezed her gently, once, before letting go, so she could go retrieve the scroll from the ground.

"I wonder what is in this scroll, the daimyou gave us?" Sakura mused.

"Flowers," Kakashi deadpanned.

"Huh?"

"This is the Flower Country, Sakura," the Copy Nin reminded her. "What else should be in there? There's nothing else of value here."

"But Tsunade-shishou wouldn't send us all the way here for just some flowers, would she?"

"Of course she wouldn't," she heard him say as they lay down into the grass. They had reached the northern shore of the island in no time at all. For once, because the island wasn't very big to begin with, and secondly, after her almost-fall Kakashi had opted to just 'poof' them to their destination, in case she was thinking of continuing her lecture about manners to him. The silver-maned man took a moment to look around, and had to give the daimyou credit. The older man hadn't been lying when he said that the place was like straight out of a fairytale. There was a cliff a dozen metres to their right as well as infront of them. To their left they could see a bunch of coniferous trees, while they lay in a field with hundreds of different kinds of flowers. Butterflies flew here and there, along with some bumblebees that created a soft buzz over the meadow. A small creek wound it's way through the trees and over the field until it feel into the ocean below the cliff.

Yep, straight out of a fairytale!

"Then there can't be just flowers in there," Sakura finally responded, pointing at the scroll, while continuing to set up their picnic.

"Maybe it's a recipe for cookies, whatever…"

"But-"

"Sakura."

"What?" she scoffed at being interrupted.

"Have you seen the hotel we came along as we walked through town?"

"Hotel?… You mean the resort?"

"Yeah, that one."

"So, what about it?"

"Have you seen it's name?" Kakashi asked, voice chippery.

"Uhm…"

"I'll take that as a 'no', then," he sighed. "The name was 'Honeymoon Flower Resort'…Do there ring any bells?"

Sakura blushed.

"Y-you mean… She… Th-this is…"

"One of the favorite destinations for newlyweds, yes."

"B-but we…we aren't…"

"…"

"…oh…" was the medic's only reaction once she caught on, and the blush from before resurfaced.

Kakashi smiled.

"Dig in!" was all he said.

And dig in, he did. Unconcerned about hiding his face for once as there was nobody there except for them, he even took the time to thoroughly enjoy his food, tasting it to the fullest. Looking at him, Sakura thought that he seemed to enjoy himself, alright. She, however, could barely swallow a bite. This new peace of information about her shishou, and the woman's thoughts about Sakura's relationship with Kakashi were hard to digest. Sure, Tsunade had accepted them, even if she wasn't completely happy with the pairing. She had acepted, because she just wanted the best for Sakura, and if Sakura loved Kakashi, then he was best for her- even if he had been her teacher and still was her team leader, not to mention fourteen years her senior. But that she would have them travel to a Country living of flowers and newlyweds, so to speak, that was a bit much.

Chancing a glance at Kakashi, she couldn't help but get back to her earlier thoughts. At the moment, he was feeding the small kitten that resided atop his silver mane, apparently having lost all inhibitions about sharing his food with the furball. He looked so cute at that precise moment, but at the same time the motion allowed the muscles in his arms to ripple almost teasingly, luring her into him, and into darker thought that had been hidden in the recesses of her mind. Her blush intensified as heat washed through her body in wave after pleasant wave of arousal. She had wanted this man, her man for so long, but something had always held her back. It wasn't the memories of her past, but the fear of raising another heated discussion should they cross that line. She wondered, if her shishou had noticed, and therefore sent them here. To set them free.

Sakura bit her lip. Setting bowl and chopsticks to the ground, she crawled over to him until she sat in his lap.

"Sakura?"

"Won't you tire of me? Ain't I boring?" she asked. This, too, had eaten away at her heart.

Kakashi's eyes widened, before he enveloped her in a strong embrace.

"How could you possibly think you're boring? And how could I ever tire of you?" he whispered lowly into her ear.

"But…ain't I ordinary? Ain't I naive?" she wondered.

"Don't say such silly things," the silver-haired man admonished her.

Sakura smiled, hugging him to her tightly for a few seconds, before letting go. Kakashi, thinking that she would go back to their food now, loosened his grip around her, and was surprised to find that she had no intention of getting up anytime soon. Infact, she hugged her legs around his waist to indicate that she intended to stay for a long, long time. Then, her lips were on his, hungry and passionate. Her arms flew up, around his neck, hands fisting in his silver locks to pull him even closer, until her soft bosom was squashed against the hard muscles of his chest.

"I want you!" she exclaimed once she let go of him for air.

"…You sure?" Kakashi managed, still somewhat in shock.

"Yes."

It didn't take anything else for him to stand up and 'poof' them back into their room.

333333333333333333333

Jiraya's mouth twitched.

He rubbed his hands against each other. At this point it didn't matter anymore, if he watched, because soon enough both Kakashi and Sakura would be too preoccupied with each other to notice him.

"Finally!"

33333333333333333333333

Once back in their chamber, Kakashi set Sakura down, and dipped his head to kiss her, eyes still open and focused on her. His hands came up to cup her cheeks, to gently hold her face as his lips descended onto hers ever so slowly. At first, all he did was give them a peck, gently nipping at her bottom lip every once in a while. Sakura's hands, still fisted in his hair, pulled and tugged and pushed, in order to force him to do more, but he wouldn't budge. Since she wasn't going to get anywhere with her behaviour, unless she used her monstrous strength, the pink-haired medic decided to play along, marvelling at the slight tingles she felt as she concentrated on his kisses. His kisses. They were completely different from what she thought they would be. She had always imagined that they would be hard and passionate like the ones they shared in the hotsprings of Konoha, quite literally drowning her in pleasure, but instead they were barely more than feather-light. And even as he slipped his tongue into her orifice to drink in the sweetness that was her, his movements remained unhurried, his touches soft, but sensual.

While everything she could think about was him, and what he was doing to her, the fact that she could think at all made her wonder. When Sakura realized that he was giving her the possibility to say 'no' even now, to push him away and turn around, it warmed her heart. She was so touched that she kissed back desperately, wanting to show him that she really did want this just as much asd he did. As if it were a cue his hands slipped from her cheeks, caressing down her throat. Calloused fingertips barely touching her heated skin, much like she had done back at her apartment when she had masturbated for him. They came to halt once they reached her shoulders, carefully massaging for a minute. Her own hands fell from his even-more-dishevelled hair onto his chest, as his fingers crept towards the zipper of her red shirt, and started to inch it down, revealing her to him. His eyes never left hers while he did so, trapping her viridian orbs in his mismatched gaze. The three tomoe spun lazily in his sharingan, but she knew that he couldn't control it, and was not trying to 'bewitch' her as Lee would put it.

Once her shirt was completely open, he helped her tugging hands that were trying to get his own shirt over his head to caress skin. As soon as the form-fitting, black garment was gone, he could feel the young woman's fingernails rake over his bare chest. Kakashi couldn't help but groan into Sakura's mouth as she traced the hemline of his pants. He backed her up against the wall, losing his sandals as he went. The moment her back hit the wooden wall, he kneeled down to kiss her inner thigh. He felt her hands return to their previous position in his hair, massaging his scalp. He let his tongue roam over her skin, down the side of her knee, and then her shank as he slipped of her left boot. Biting gently into her calf, he gave her foot a soft massage, and grinned broadly when he heard her moan. He gave her second leg the very same attention, and felt both of them buckle, barely able to hold her up any longer. His grin grew into a smug smirk, but he raised himself nonetheless, leaning in to kiss her stomach on the way, and dip his tongue into her belly button, just so he could hear her cry his name in pleasure.

Sakura knew she wouldn't be able to stand for much longer if this conitnued the way it was, so she did what every good kunoichi would do. She took matters into her own hands. Switching places with him, she made sure she had him pinned to the wall tightly as she nuzzled his neck and started to place hot open-mouth kisses on his jaw line. Moving south, she relished in every little whimper, every surpressed moan, and that low purring sound she loved so much, and that would remind her of Chihiro, if she could remember the kitten at the moment( where had it gone off to, anyway?). Instead of wondering about the hellcat, Sakura closed her eyes as she stuck out her tongue to lick her way up his breastbone, then kiss along the scar he had told her about. Her hands raked over his side, making him tremble with pleasure and self-control. Tantalizing fingers followed the outline of his chest, just as her mouth descended upon one dark bud. She loved the Copy Nin's reaction as he squirmed beneath her, not in a ticklish way, but obviously stimulated. Sweat started to built on his body, and the salty moisture only added to his taste. She could feel it on her own body as well, making her skin slippery. Her free hand ghosted over his pants, just in between his thighs and felt him buck. She blushed, knowing what she had touched (even if through the cloth), but she enjoyed having so much power over him. Shrugging off her open shirt, she rid herself of her shorts as well, while she felt bold enough to do so. She could feel his eyes watching her, and knew that they were darkened by desire.

His sharingan was probably burning the image she made in nothing but her bra, her panties and her pink skirt into his memory, while the fact that she was unbuckling his pants most likely hadn't registered in his mind yet. When it did, his hands came to cover her clumsy ones as they took over to do the job themselves. Her head shot up, her gaze fixed on his, while listening as he unfastened his belt and pulled down the zipper of his fly, before shrugging out of his pants and kicking them away. Sakura took a step back, knowing that this left him in nothing but his boxers, and admired the view. Out of the corner of her eyes she noticed his smug look, but she couldn't care less as she let her eyes roam over his perfectly male body shamelessly.

She had masturbated in front of him, so why would she be bashful or anything?!

Kakashi noticed with a good ounce of male pride that his lover couldn't seem to take her eyes off of him, and the low whistle of appreciation surely helped to boost his ego. However, as he took her in as well- half-naked, flushed and, by the smell of it, aroused- he decided that just looking just didn't do. So, instead, he moved towards her again, one arm snaking around her waist as his other hand came up to cup her cloth-covered breast. She gasped and threw her head back, her hips bucking once. She was so wonderfully responsive, he thought as his hand began to move over the soft flesh. Kneeding and molding it to his liking, testing what would make her moan the loudest. He quickly found out that she seemed to enjoy it most when he rolled her nipple in between his fingers or pinched it through the cloth. His head descended onto her cleavage as his hand moved to unclasp her bra, flattening against her back to push it into a wonderful arch. Then, it came around again to tug the skimpy cloth off his beloved's bosom. His mouth quickly continued where the garment had left off by covering- engulfing- one of her supple breasts, while his right hand did the same with the neglected one.

Sakura felt hot before, but now it was like she was on fire. Kakashi's mouth was literally swallowing her breast, as his rough tongue pushed and shoved at her pink bud until it was hard, swollen. The other mound was tugged at and played with by his large hand, calloused fingers groping her none too softly. She could hear cry after cry of pleasure leaving her mouth, feel her knees go week as she clung to him for support. Endless tingles of arousal were sent up and down her nerves like a rollacoaster until they finally settled in her heated, wet center. She barely registered when she started to grind against him in order to release some of the tension she was feeling. What she did register was the hard bulge in his pants that gifted her with a second of bliss, whenever it touched her core. She heard Kakashi's deep groan. It fueled her desire for him, as she stepped out of his embrace to remove the rest of her clothing. His hands stopped her, and for a moment, she was worried that he didn't want her anymore, but the his hands hooked under her panties and moved to free her of the last pieces of cloth she was wearing, before sliding down his boxers as well. She blushed deeper as they stood there, completely naked.

Then Kakashi moved to embrace her.

"Are you sure you want this, Sakura?"

"Yes," she answered confidently.

With that said, he lifted his Cherry Blossom up into his arms, and carried her to the bed. Laying her down gently, he joined her, settling himself beside her. His mouth returned to her breast, though now it kissed the underside of it. The musky scent of her arousal permeated the air as his lips travelled down over her sides and across her stomach, kissing, nipping, licking at her flesh. He moved himself between her legs as his lips brushed over her pink curls, then the inside of her thigh. With no Naruto and Sasuke to interrupt them, this time he really did plant a kiss to her most secret place. He felt her shudder, mewling at the sensation. Burrying his nose in her pink curls, he kissed her nub of flesh, while a finger came to move up and down her slit. He could feel her tense. Looking up, Kakashi noticed how her hands were fisted in the covers so strongly that her knuckles were white, and smirked. He gently enclosed her dark nub with his lips and tugged once. A cry of his name was his answer. He did it again, only this time he grazed his teeth over it ever so softly, so he wouldn't hurt her. Her hips bucked as a scream fell from her lips. He repeated the motion, this time inserting a single finger into her core and setting up a slow thrusting rhythm. Her hips started to grind into his hand and became more eager when he slipped a second finger inside her, then a third. Once he had sneaked in the third finger he halted his movements, taking note of the slight discomfort this caused her. He suckled on her pleasure point, and watched her back arch of the matress. He continued this, until all traces of pain were gone from Sakura's beautiful face, before he started pumping slowly again, wanting nothing but plasure to have her contort her features.

Sakura felt a tingling as he kissed her, and shuddered. A soft mewl, she didn't know she had given, resounded through the room. When his lips moved upwards a few centimetres and kissed her again and he started to caress the swollen lips of her core with his calloused finger- this time without the barrier of clothes in between- she couldn't help but tense all over at the strange feelings that rushed through her. Next thing she knew, he was pulling her jewel into his mouth, and she called for him, needily. When he did it again, though biting down on her sensitive flesh, and her hips gave an involuntary jerk. This time she screamed. And then he just had to probe her with a finger, pushing into her and then pulling out, only to push back inside. It felt strange at first, but her body seemed to know how it was supposed to react, because it started to move against his finger, impaling itself upon it softly. Even more so when a second finger joined in. The motion was so new to her and so overly sexual that her body was flooded with even more heat. A sensation built up, similar to the one when she masturbated, but…hotter. When a slight pain stabbed her as he slid another finger into her, it stopped her grinding, but still didn't do much about the rising heat within her. Kakashi stopped the motions of his hand to concentrate on sucking on her nub until she had calmed down. Once her body started grinding against his hand again, she felt him continue where he had left of, only this time he gave harder, punctuated thrusts that made the heat inside her boil. She could feel the tight knot that had previously formed in her belly dissolve as heat flew out of her in her ecstasy.

"Kakashi," she cried out softly.

He growled.

"You can do better than that, Sakura," he answered, and she knew he was referring to her cry.

He wanted her to scream his name!

She did. Once he started to lap up her juices she did scream his name, not caring whether or not the walls were sound-proof, and if anyone heard- to hell with it! She was too far gone at that moment to care. She had known that it would feel marvellous, but she had never guessed that it would be this good. He had hooked her legs over his shoulders, and was simultaneously holding her hips down with his strong hands, so she could not buck into him- no matter how much she wanted to! His tongue was working up and down in between her folds, his mouth engulfing them once in a while to give them a playful tug that had her panting and squirming on the bed, heat building up again. But when he actually slipped his tongue into her core, she started to trash around that even he could barely hold her. She was so sensitive there, or maybe it was because it was his tongue and she had anticipated this ever since Naruto had raised havoc on her door. When she thought that she couldn't take it any longer without xploding again, he stopped.

She whined.

He raised himself to kiss her, while he rolled them over until he lay under her. He had not forgotten how she reacted to be 'trapped' underneath his larger body the last time. He chuckled into their kiss when he heard her gasp as she tasted herself on his lips and tongue. He was a little miffled that he couldn't 'finish' her while tasting her, but his current state of arousal wouldn't have that. Gently moving her to sit in his lap, he looked at her one more time to see if there was any uncertainty in her eyes. When he found none, just shyness and a good ounce of curiousity, he helped her lift herself so that they could join. A small gasp of pain left her as Sakura felt him stretch her, and the hands she had placed upon his shoulders fisted, her nails digging into his flesh, earning her a hiss.

"Give me a minute," she whispered.

Kakashi smiled and nodded, waiting for her to give him the okay, even if all his body wanted was to get on with it already. When she finally told him it was alright to move a few minutes later, he showed her how to roll her hips against his in a grinding motion that would allow her to get accostomed to the feeling of him moving inside her. Sakura smiled a little as she tried, her eyes never leaving his face in case she did something wrong and hurt him.

"Like this?"

"Yes," he managed through a groan.

"Is there…more?" she asked, wondering about all those things Ino had forced her to listen to.

Instead of replying, Kakashi opted to show her. He moved up on the bed until he could sit with his back resting against the headbord. The shifted position in which he penetrated her elicited a pleasured moan from both of them. Placing her arms around his neck, he pulled her upper body closer to his, so he could kiss her hard on the mouth as he pulled almost all the way out, before sliding back in slowly. The new position aloud him to push against her pleasure point, which led to Sakura throwing her head back, breaking the kiss as he set a steady rhythm. Soon enough, he felt her actively participate. Shy at first, Sakura quickly found the confidence to raise her hips from his simultaneously with his own, and bring them back together at the same time as him. Mewls and groans filled the rooms, cries of pleasure, grunts and even screams resounded from the walls. Kakashi's lips found their way down Sakura's neck, halting at her pulse to suck genlty, before dipping her back towards the matress to focus his attention on her breasts again.

Feeling this, Sakura arched her back to give his mouth and tongue more access. When he bit down on her nipple, her hips jerked violently, resulting in a very much welcomed quickening of their pace. His thrusts were harder, she noticed, but she still managed to keep up with him as he was still moving slow enough for her inexperienced body. Her hands came from around his neck to sneak around his middle, and drag her nails down over his back until she could give his ass a good grope as he thrust into her once again. His response was a feral growl, and Sakura almost giggled, but refrained herself from doing so by leaning forward and biting into his shoulder hard enough to draw blood. This seemed to turn him on, because he picked up the pace once again. Sakura felt that she could only barely keep up anymore, but thatmay have been because the constantly tightening knot inside of her decided to explode just as Kakashi reciprocated her gesture by cupping her buttocks. Arching her back enough to be uncomfortable in any other situation, she threw her head back and screamed.

"KASHI!"

"…Yes-s…that's it, Sakura," the bastard teased, but she could feel him lose himself inside of her, and would let it go- for now.

Exhausted and panting they collapsed on the bed. Or rather, Kakashi did. Sakura just collapsed onto him!

"I'd say 'I love you', but that would sound so cliché," the Copy Nin teased again.

"…"

"…"

"Well…I'd say 'I want you again', but you're probably not u to it another time, old man!"she shot back.

What monster had he created?

"I'll show you an 'old man'!" was all he replied as he rolled her over.

**End of chapter 37!**

**A/N: I had thought about stopping at the "Are you sure you want this, Sakura?" part, but then I thought that you would probably hang me for that... Well, this was the third lemon I ever wrote in english, I think, so I hope it was satisfying. See you next chapter!**

**Preview:**

_He cackled evilly._

_This was just too good. To hell with his orders and agreements, this was too good an opportunity to pass on. Perfect material, simply perfect!_


	38. Plans Revealed

**_Kiss Me Goodnight_**

**KakaSaku**

**Warnings: Smut, kinkiness... oh, just read it! ;)**

**Chapter** **38: Plans revealed**

"Well…I'd say 'I want you again', but you're probably not u to it another time, old man!"she shot back.

What monster had he created?

"I'll show you an 'old man'!" was all he replied as he rolled her over.

His hands were on her in a flash, roaming her body in rough yet gentle caresses. His lips found her cleavage for a myriad of butterfly kisses that, though feather-light and barely there, had her skin tingle deliciously. Three times as sensitive from the glow of aftermath she still found herself in, every touch, every kiss, every breath upon her skin, even his heated gaze alone sent continous shivers up and down her spine. Sakura felt more than just light-headed, her very soul soaring in the heights of the ecstasy Kakashi bestowed upon her. The young woman couldn't help but give voice to her feelings with loud, cat-like mewls of pleasure at each new sensation he gave her. She could feel him smile and smirk against her skin, could feel the deep rumble of his chuckle when she started to wriggle impatiently, and cried out as his lips moved to softly tug at one pink bud. He did it again, and she arched her back in response, silently pleading with him. More, she needed more! She felt him complying with her wishes as his tongue started to dance over her nipple, and one of his hands that had previously holding her waist, came up to carefully kneead her other breast.

Kakashi watched his lover for any sort of a panicked reaction, while keeping most of his weight from her, so as not to scare her. He held his chest above her stomach, holding himself up with hiuncoccupied hand and arm, as he continued to pleasure her. The silver-haired man studied her intently as he did so, memorizing every pleasured sound she made, and all the ways her beautiful face could contort in utter bliss. The image of her, writhing beneath him would be burned into his mind for the rest of his life, no mtter how long or short that may be. It was something, he wouldn't ever let go of. Couldn't let go…of her. As long as he lived, he would be damned if he ever let her walk away from him, or he being the cause of such horrible action.

Brushing aside his grim determination to keep her for himself, he focused on the feel of her again. Leaving a wet trail in between her breasts, he switched from one pink bud to another, shifting his weight, and lifting his left hand to cover the neglected one. Rubbing the wet nipple between his thumb and forefinger, he relished in the almost painful looking arch of her back as well as her loudest moan, yet. The Copy Nin grinned into her other breast, before carefully grazing his teeth against the smooth, sensitive skin. He was rewarded with a surprised-and incredibly sexy- gasp from his kunoichi. Another smirk tug at the corner of his lips, but all he did was sink lower on the bed, until his tongue could dip into her belly button.

Which it did.

Sakura mewled louder than before when she felt both his hands knead her moist breasts, and his tongue swept over her stomach. He literally plundered her small belly button. The continous strokes of his tongue against and into that sensitive spot nearly drove her insane with need. Who would have thought that it was so easy to arouse her this much? She could feel the moisture leaking between her thighs, and rubbed them against each other uncomfortably (Kakashi's legs were on either side of hers). She ached, her core ached. It needed, no, demanded attention. Kakashi's attention! Why wouldn't he attend to it, already? The pink-haired blossom bit her lip, mewling desperately. Her hands in his hair tugged and pulled and shoved, in order to get him down there, but Kakashi wouldn't budge.

All he did, was turn her around…

Then he was above her, his lips on the nape of her neck, then moving his tongue around the shell of her ear. Biting into her earlobe and tugging at it roughly. Hot, panting breaths fanning over her skin, moist with his saliva. When he kissed the spot just beneath her earlobe, Sakura felt ticklish and wriggled in his grasp. This motion caused her hardened buds to rub against the soft sheet of their bed, which led her to release a low, needy groan. She could hear Kakashi chuckle as he slid one of his hands in between the bed and her body to touch her pleasure point. He squeezed it once. The pressure, adding to the feel of his heat beside her and the proof of his own pleasure straining against her thigh, nearly had her jerking off the matress.

"What is it, Wildcat?" he mocked. "Can't stand the heat?"

With an indignant huff, she turned the tables on him. He hadn't so much as breathed out the last word, when she found himself on his back with her tongue invading the warm cavern of his mouth. A kiss so full of passion, Sakura dominating every stroke, every caress. And he let her. It was a nice feeling to leave the reigns to someone else, to her. One of her hands was lazily rubbing the side of his knee, as he desperately wished it would go higher soon. Sakura seemed in the mood to comply, because her hand was soon roaming upwards. Unfortunately, on the outer side of his leg. As it reached his hips, she stopped, barely grazing a finger against his skin as she moved to his stomach. Then she lay her flat palm against his abs, just above the point where his pubic hair began. Her mouth left his as her hand ghosted over his member once.

"Sakura…"

"What is it, Kashi? Can't stand the heat?" she teased back, softly tracing circles around the tip with one finger…nail…

She started to lick her way down the column of his neck, never once changing in rhythm or intensitiy of her caresses. Grazing her teeth over his chest, she continued to travel over his body until her mouth reached his shoulder. There, she bit down. Hard. Kakashi groaned at the slight stinging, but she felt the pleasured twitch of his erection against her hand. He was definitely a shinobi!

Only a shinobi would be turned on by being made to bleed!

Her other hand caressed up and down his side, raking it's fingernails over his flushed skin. His arms came up to encircle her back, before he pulled her down into a heated kiss. Slipping past her lips, he genuinely plundered her mouth, while his calloused fingers crept back to where they had been only minutes before. Sliding two fingers into the sheath of her body, he set a steady rhythm, making her falter in her own for a moment. His other hand roamed over her back to squeeze her butt gently.

"Kashi!" Sakura moaned.

He understood.

"Lay down with your back to me, Sakura, and lift up your knee a bit," he instructed her with a raspy voice.

The confused look she sent his way told him that she didn't understand what he ws doing, but she complied with him anyway. Once she was comfortable enough, Kakashi placed his arm around her waist and shifted closer to her. After he was done moving, Sakura could feel the burning heat of his chest pressed against her back. Not even a thin sheet of paper would've fit in between them. He gently rocked them for a moment, coating himself in the moisture leaking between her thighs. An embarrassed blush came to her cheeks. Just as she heard him chuckle at her antics, he slowly entered her, and Sakura found this strange position to allow him to sink deeper into her body than before.

"You okay?" Kakashi asked.

"Uh-huh," she groaned softly, nodding.

She wriggled a little, trying it out, but his grip around her waist tightened, and stilled her movements.

"Sakura, if you do that you better be ready…"

"As I'll ever be!" she answered sincerely.

"Thank goddess," Kakashi whispered seductively.

Then, he began to move.

**333333333333333333333333333333**

(Two days later; Konoha)

"AND YOU LEFT THEM? THEN, OF ALL TIMES?"

The Hokage Tower shook with the power of one blonde kunoichi's voice. Glaring daggers at the Toad Sannin, Konoha's best medic growled lowly, muttering incoherently in between big gulps of warm sake. The white-haired man had jumped a few feet back when his long-time teammate started to yell at him louder than ever before, and had quickly brought up his hands tocover his poor, very poor ears. Now, said porn-addicted author moved closer to the honey-eyed woman again, shrugging noncommitingly.

"Now that you got your wish, I thought…"

"My wish?! My wish?! What makes you think I got my wish?!" she barked back.

"They slept with each other. Wasn't that your purpose in the first place?" Jiraya asked, confused.

"I'm not YOU, pervert!"

"Oh… And here I thought you wanted to give them the perfect location, far away from prying eyes and neighboors who keep their ears glued to the walls…"

"Well, yes…but that wasn't the only purpose," Tsunade grumbled.

"Than what, oh wise one, was the other purpose?"

She growled.

He ignored her.

"I sent them into the Flower Country, baka! I wanted him to propose to her, goddammit!" the blonde replied in fury.

"…They've been together for just a few months and you're already thinking about marriage? Give them a break, woman!" Jiraya frowned. Tsunade could get a bit irrational like that, he knew, but this was far-fetched even for her.

"A few months? Ha! It has been building up to this for the better part of the past two and a half years, including the time they barely talked to each other. Distance makes the heart grow fonder, after all," the Lady Hokage argued. "Emotional distance, in this case… Plus, people might just start looking at them more kindly, if their relationship is an…let's say, 'honorable' one…"

"They are a teach and a stundent-"

"Former," Tsunade interjected.

"Whatever- point is: They have been teacher and student at one point in time."

"So?"

"What the hell could be honorable about such a relationship? People hate them now, and that won't change even if they were to marry and have lots of kids," the man told her. "Besides, Sakura is barely eighteen, so- like I said- give them a break."

"Ah, think about what kind of shinobi their kids will make?"

"Did you listen to me, woman?" Jiraya demanded.

"Her perfect chakra control, and his speed and ingenius mind. And of course the Hatake's whit-"

"Tsunade," Jiraya interrupted, grumbling.

"What?"

"Barely eighteen, remember?" he mocked.

"Oh, yeah, yeah… but can you blame me? Sakura is like a daughter to me, and I just can't wait to have grandchildren," Tsunade confessed. "All those happy little faces… Aww! I really can't wait. I feel it in here."

As she said this, she touched her heart.

Jiraya just shook his head.

"Well, you can tell them personally. They should be on their way back already."

**333333333333333333333333333**

"I hope you had a nice stay," the daimyou said.

He had come to the port to wish them a pleasant journey home. Sakura flushed deep crimson at his words, even more so when she heard some of the guards and maidens snicker behind the feudal lord. Kakashi remained unfazed, except for a quick rub of the back of his head. And even then his grin was wide underneath that mask! The pink-haired medic watched as several of the daimyou's man patted him on the back when the Copy Nin turned to leave, and heard the whistles and cat-calls that followed them after. Following Kakashi's invitation, she snuggled into his embrace and duck her head into his chest to hide the redness of her cheeks at least a little as they made their way on board the ferry.

Leaning against the ceiling, they waved one last time at the people on the shore. Then, their gazes turned towards the distant Land of Fire they could already see at the horizon. It wasn't a very long way from the Fire Country to the Flower Country, just about one and a half hours on a boat. Or a three hours walk from shore to shore, but neither Kakashi nor sakura felt in the mood to travel that distance on their own two feet.

They didn't feel up to it.

"I wonder what has happened in Konoha this past week," Sakura murmured against Kakashi's vest, while she patted Chihiro's head that poked out of the man's pocket. They had found the little cat hours into the aftermath sulking and wet on the chair. Why wet, you may ask? Well, the little kitten had retreated into the bathroom as the lovers' interaction got a little too heated. It was a relatively safe enviroment.

Until the two shinobi had decided to take a shower, that is…

"Hn," was all Kakashi answered.

He didn't really care.

"What do you think our friends did when they noticed that we weren't there?"

"Go bar-hopping, I'm sure," the silver-haired jounin deadpanned.

"With Ino at the very front of it," Sakura laughed at the mental image.

"And Genma," her boyfriend butted in.

"Yeah, sounds like something they would do."

"Hn."

"And I still wonder why Tsunade told us to get this scroll?" she wondered.

"It wasn't about the scroll, Sakura," Kakashi said.

"I know, but still… There has to be something about it, since the daimyou insisted we take it with us."

Kakashi just shrugged. Whatever was in that scroll couldn't be nearly as important as what, or rather who, he was holding in his arms right now. The pink-haired beauty whose gaze bore into the scroll as if she was trying to see right through it. Kakashi chuckled at her curiousity, though he couldn't exactly blame her. A tiny amount of interest made it's way up into his brain as well as he watched the beginnin gof what could become an obsession to the viridian-eyed kunoichi.

"We'll find out when we get home," he assured her.

She beamed up at him.

"…Uhm, why don't we stop at that little tea house we came upon on our way here?", Sakura then asked mischieviously.

Kakashi smirked.

"Yeah…why not?"

**3333333333333333333333333333**

(Konoha)

"Anyway…" Jiraya spoke up again. "Have you resolved that problem with the little pest?"

"Huh?"

"Gai's student…what was his name?"

"You mean Lee?" Tsunade asked him.

"That one."

The white-haired Ero-Sannin watched as the dreamy expression on the Lady Hokage's face turned to confusion, then realization, and then exasperation. He raised an eyebrow. Apparently, he had hit a sore thumb. Then again, how was it possible that they couldn't get the boy's head to properly work again? It couldn't be that difficult, could it? After all, Tsunade was the best medic around.

"We did it, finally."

"Really?" Jiraya asked, surprised. He had expected her to answer with a sound 'no'. "How?"

"Had to sedate him, because he would kick, and bite, and spit if I so much as put a foot into his room. I swear, if I hadn't known it was the jutsu, I would've given him a real reason to lie in a hospital bed!" the honey-eyed woman growled. "He accused me of treachery towards the 'youthful Cherry Blossom of Konoha', and that I should've castrated that 'unyouthful adulterer who was abusing of her innocence'- meaning Kakashi-"

"I never knew Hatake was married," Jiraya muttered, chuckling darkly.

"In any case, I had him sedated and put his brain back into order."

"And?"

"He's still against it, and a bit heartbroken, but at least he hasn't thrown a fit again."

"Well, that's something," the Toad Sannin sighed. "Did he tell you anything about the jutsu that did this to him?"

"He couldn't tell me anything, since he doesn't know much about Nin- and Genjutsu, but he gave me a good description of the person who cast it upon him," Tsunade told her old friend with a graveyard-voice. "Tall, broad, black hair, green eyes… Do there ring any bells?"

Jiraya almost choked on the sake he had been about to drink from Tsunade's cup- without her noticing, of course.

"Haruno?" he asked, incredulous.

Tsunade scoffed.

"Even out of his grave he's mocking us. Harassing my Sakura-chan…"

"I thought we had agreed that she is Kakashi's Sakura-chan now…"

Tsunade growled.

Jiraya shook his head tiredly when his hand suddenly brushed over the cover of the tiny book that contained all of his notes. He cackled evilly. This was just too good. To hell with his orders and agreements, this was too good an opportunity to pass up. Perfect material, simply perfect! This would be what his best book ever would be made of. Every man's darkest, dirtiest fantasy come to life... Too bad no one but the Copy Nin would read it, unless he wanted said silver-haired elite to come after him with murderous intent. And really, who would want that. The Toad Sannin sighed. He would just give it to the sharingan-user as a marriage gift, or to the birth of his first child.

Whichever came first...

**End of chapter 38!**

**A/N: Evil, evil Jiraya! Bad!... Then again, that's what makes him such an amusing character. I hope you liked the chapter, and please leave a review!**


	39. True Love

**_Kiss Me Goodnight_**

**KakaSaku**

**A/N: At the end of this chapter there's a poll, you could say, about my next KakaSaku works. So, please leave a review/vote after reading it.**

**Chapter** **39: True Love**

"Hi there! We're back."

The Copy Nin's cheerful voice filled the room, and seconds later they had everyone's attention on them. There were the three old ladies, the two boys- one of which started shivering uncontrollably at seeing the couple again- and of course the owner of the tea house with the waitress by her side. All of them were looking rather dumbfounded as if they hadn't expected the two shinobi to come back. Sakura was a bit surprised herself to find the same people in the same tea house once again.

'_They must live in a nearby town,'_ she thought, looking up at Kakashi.

The silver-haired man was leading her towards the very same table they had sat at the last time in the middle of the room. The young medic smirked, guessing what he was planning to do. They quickly ordered when the dazed waitress finally made it to their table. Then Kakashi gently took her hand and kissed it throgh the mask, before excusing himself once again to the men's restroom. This time, however, none of the other occupants of the tea house dared corner the fiery kunoichi for fear of what she'd do.

Sakura's smirk grew.

Before lond, Kakashi was back. Just in time as it turned out, because their food was about to be served. It was nothing much, just a small plate of different sushi and some herbal tea. They thanked the waitress, procceeding to eat in silence, but the sharingan-user's hand which had grabbed hold of hers never let go. His rough thumb caressed soft patterns onto her delicate skin. This led to Sakura sighing every now and then, deeply enough to attract even more of the wanted attention they were already getting. The older jounin smiled and squeezed her hand, then let go of it to bite into it and make some handseals.

"What are you doing?" Sakura asked, pausing midway in her movement to get the sashimi into her mouth.

"You'll see," he told her, eye crinkling, just before he summoned Pakkun.

"Yo," the dog said. "What can I do for you, boss?"

"You could take this to the Hokage as we might be a while, and ask her to meet us at the gates tomorrow with the scroll. Around noon."

Pakkun nodded and took the scroll.

"You better know what you're doing, boss. Tsunade won't be pleased," the pug warned his master.

"Oh, believe me. Come tomorrow noon, she'll be more than pleased- and hopefully, so will we."

Both Pakkun and Sakura frowned thoughtfully at this. The Nin-Dog and the medic exchanged confused glances, before looking back at the third member of their merry little group. He was probably grinning like an idiot – coughNarutocough – beneath that mask, judging by the major crinkle in his eye. The other two looked at each other once more, then shrugged and shook their head in exasperation. He would tell them when the time was right or they would just find out tomorrow.

"Okay, I'll be off then," Pakkun announced.

He then hurried out the door. Kakashi waved after him cheekily, before returning his attention to Sakura. The pink-haired girl was still scrunching up her face, and then blushed crimson when he told her that she would get wrinkles. She slapped his arm playfully, and he rubbed the sore spot for a minute. Then he called over the waitress, and Sakura wasn't sure wether to be intrigued or jealous when he chanced the woman one of his brightest smiles.

"Wh-what can I d-do for you?" the young woman asked, dazed- though, by Kakashi's charm now.

"Is there an inn in your town. We'd like to pass the night as we're rather tired from the travel."

That wasn't exactly true. Sure, they'd been going or rather jumping from branch to branch for hours now, but at a leaisure pace. They had agreed not to hurry back to Konoha, and instead take the time to admire the countryside. They had also rested quite a few times, and even taken a ride with one of the local farmers in order to just enjoy the view. Therefore, they were hardly tired. They could travel straight back to Konoha at top speed if they wanted to, but Sakura wasn't about to argue.

"An inn?"

"Yeah, we'd like to get a room."

"Uhm… sure. There's one. I can call them right now, so they keep two rooms vacant for you," the waitress offered.

Sakura growled.

"Ah, one room will be enough, thank you," Kakashi told her, rubbing the back of his head.

"But… you're not married," the waitress argued.

"We're shinobi, this isn't our first barbeque," Sakura snorted.

"But…"

"Just do it, already," the pink-haired kunoichi snarled.

Needless to say, the waitress hurried of to fulfill her wish.

"We aren't married… in what century do the people here live?"

"We can't all be as open to new things as you are, Sakura," Kakashi told her gently, chuckling.

Sakura snorted, then she leaned forward to whisper in his ear.

"You just want to make love to me," she said just loud enough for everyone who strained his or her ears to hear.

Kakashi smirked.

"Of course."

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(Later that day; Konoha)

"And that's all he said?"

Pakkun looked at the blonde woman, then at the white-haired man, and nodded. It had been all his master had told him, however it wasn't everything he wanted the Lady Hokage to know. Pakkun moved a little to catch a piece of paper Kakashi had left on his persona, and shove it over the wooden desk towards the Hokage with his paw. The two Sannin looked at each other before Tsunade picked up the piece of paper. She watched it intensly for a minute, then handed it to Jiraya.

"Can you make any sense of that?"

"Did he give you a riddle again?" Jiraya mocked, as he took the paper.

"No," Tsunade growled.

"Then what?"

"Can't read it," the Hokage deadpanned.

The Toad-Sannin blinked. Raising an eyebrow suspiciously, he narrowed his eyes as he took a look at the piece of paper. There was definitely something written on it, as indicated by the blue lines on the white backround. But, for the life of him, Jiraya wasn't able to read it. He let out a low whistle after another minute of battling with Kakashi's short phrase.

"I always new he had a bad hand-writing, but this is just ridiculous," the white-haired man muttered. "I don't understand a word…"

"May I try, Hokage-sama?" the pug suddenly asked. "I have some experience with the boss' hand-writing."

Tsunade shrugged.

"At this point, I'm open for pretty much anything."

She lay down the paper infront of him. Pakkun gazed at it for a moment, before rounding it to watch from another angle. His ever-present claws scratched over the desk top of the table, and it was the only noise in the room for a minute. Then, Tsunade sighed. Apparently not even the Copy Nin's most famous Ninja Dog could make sense of his scribbling.

"Bring the others," Pakkun piped into the Hokage's thoughts.

"Huh?" both Sannin asked.

"On the paper. It means: 'Bring the others.' "

Tsunade and Jiraya exchanged a look.

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"You must be the mismatched couple Tsumi-chan announced?"

The wife of the inn-keeper was a chubby woman in a simple, traditional kimono, her hair held up by multiple needles. She was raising a lantern into their faces, so that the light almost blinded them, and her tone gave away her utter displeasure at their relationship. Kakashi would've sighed at this reaction, had he not thought that it would just fuel her anger. Sakura huffed loudly, and the elder woman would have probably made another comment, if her husband had not told her to just show them their room and make him some tea. Resorting to a disgusted snort, the woman led them to their room, which- oh, the surprise- held two single beds, too small for two to stay in them. She threw them the keys and wished them goodnight gruffily, before disappearing down the hall.

"Kami, that woman sure got a problem!" Sakura huffed once more.

"Only one?" Kakashi asked, chuckling.

Sakura giggled at that.

"You're right. It's probably a myriad of problems…"

"And they all got something to do with her husband, I'm sure…"

A moment of silence passed, before the couple burst out laughing.

"Well, I guess you'll be sleeping alone, after all," Sakura murmured as she looked over the beds.

"Maybe, but I'm sure I'll have a companion in the shower. Right?" he asked, removing his vest and carefully putting it down, so that Chihiro wouldn't get hurt. The tiny furball thanked him with a loud purring noise, before she moved up on the bed, and took over his pillow. Apparently, he would not sleep alone tonight…

"A shower, hm? Yeah, I guess I could need one."

Sakura smiled seductively.

Kakashi let out a feral growl as he approached her slowly, stripping himself of his shirt as he went. Sakura took the zipper of her own and pulled it down, slowly revealing more and more of her soft flesh. She then took a kunai, before disregarding her pouch on his bed, and held it to the bindings she had chosen to wear for their travel. Carefully, she led the blade travel in between the bindings and the valley of her bosom, holding it there for a few tantalizing seconds. With a good pull she ripped the bandages. The cloth fell down around her, but her chest was still covered by her opened shirt. Kakashi was with her in a second. Kicking off his sandals, he closed the distance between them to give her a searing kiss. His hands slipped underneath her shirt to give her breast one possessive grope. Sakura's head fell away from his lips as she groaned loudly. Arching her back she tried to put more of herself into his calloused hands. A leg came up to envelop his waist, and her arms encircled his neck. She pushed her body into his, her naked chest sliding against his as he let her red shirt fall.

Lifting her other leg, and placing it around his waist also, he walked them both towards the bathroom. One hand left her breast, as his mouth took it's place, in order to unclasp her skirt, and let it fall to the ground. Her hands came down from his waist to fumble with his belt, trying to unbuckle it with little success. Chuckling at her helplessness, he set her down on the counter, and moved away. This earned him a frustrated groan from the pink-haired kunoichi. She had closed her eyes during their kiss, but when she heard how his hands were working on his belt himself, she snapped them open to watch with hungrly eyes. She slid off the counter, once his belt had been opened, and hooked one finger on each side under her shorts and panties.

Kakashi smirked.

Ever so slowly, both of them let some of their last articles of clothing fall onto the ground. Now, all they were wearing were their headbands, but when Sakura reached up to remove his, hew stopped her. He shifted it slightly to reveal his sharingan, but he did not seem to have any further intention to move it other than that.

"Leave it on," he ordered her huskily.

"Okay," Sakura whispered, taking in her surroundings for the first time since they entered the bathroom and decided that it could not be.

The whole room was filled with softly burning candles. The floor was made of flawless white marble, the sinker of beautiful poercelain, decorated with gold. The walls were tainted in a soft creamy colour. Everything was surprisingly clean. Suddenly she heard the shower running and turned to Kakashi. He had turned on the warm water, and was already waiting for her. His hand was outstretched, so that she could take it. He helped her into the shower, before pulling her hand to his mouth and kissing each knuckle.

"This can't be real," Sakura breathed.

"It's as real as you want it to be," Kakashi told her.

"You did this?" she asked, touched. "With you sharingan?"

He nodded.

"Do you like it?" he wanted to know, concerned that he might have done something wrong.

"I love it," she whispered into his ear as she leant closer again. "That's a bathroom-dream."

He chuckled.

"You shall have one for real, one day," the Copy Nin told her.

She was about to retort something, but the words died in her mouth a his arms came around her, and she was pressed against his muscular frame once more. She shuddered at the mere feeling of his strong arms and chest, and at the combined heat of their nether regions. She wriggled a little, because she couldn't help it when she felt like this, and it only served to fuel their desire for each other. Her legs came around his waist once again, her hips grinding into his to relieve some of the burning pressure that urged them to join from deep within their beings. Her hands, on his shoulders for support at first, now wandered over his broad chest, raking their nails over his sensitive skin. Skin that was even more sensitive than usual due to the water pouring down on them, she realied when she received a guttural groan from him with every little touch.

Kakashi bend over her, catching one of her nipples in his mouth again. He moved them until her back hit the wall, and relished in her gasp when the cool surface made contact with her heated skin. He pressed her up against said wall, earning another few gasps and mewls, before placing one hand over her neglected breast. His other hand went south as he reached between their bodies. Finding her pleasure button, he squeezed it, at the same time grinding hard into her. A loud cry left her lungs, and the Copy Nin sure hoped that the inn-keeper's wife had heard that. He continued this sweet torture, building the young woman up to a peak. When he felt her on the verge of an orgasm, he took away hgis hand and stilled all of his movements. A frustrated groan fell from Sakura's lips, and her eyes glared daggers at him for stopping when she was almost there.

"I'm not yet done with you," he announced. "If I'll have to miss you in my bed, I want to take as much of you with me as I can."

His raspy voice sent another shudder through her body as he unravelled her legs from around him, setting them firmly on the ground, before lowering himself into a kneeling position. He spread her legs with his hands to dip his head in between her parted thighs. His tongue followed the slit between her fold up to her jewel, which he gave a small tug, then followed his way down again. Sakura bucked eratically in his hands for a few moments, before he could still her. She was soaking wet, and it wasn't just because the shower was running. The water just added to her sensitive state and made her slick fold even more slippery. Kakashi gently slid the forefinger of each hand into her, and opened her passage as wide as he dared. His young lover gasped at the sensation and, looking up, he noticed that she's flushed even deeper from being so completely exposed to him.

"Kashi?" she asked, uncertain.

"Ssh, wildcat, you'll like it," he soothed her calmly.

Sakura nodded, though not entirely convinced.

Kakashi smirked and moved his head up again. This time, Sakura's legs buckled and gave out underneath her. He had slipped his tongue inside her feminine flesh just once, and she had already crumbled in the shower. Kakashi moved back a bit to gain accsess again, before repeating the procedure. Sakura raised a hand to cover her mouth in an attempt to stiffle her scream of plasure, but it didn't really help. Now Kakashi was sure that stuck-up woman had heard, and he couldn't help but smirk at the thought. He was definitely going to do this again, both here and in Konoha. The decision made, he proceeded to continue that speacial 'treatment' of his 'patient', slipping his tongue into her dark cavern and licking at her inner walls as he left. Sakura bucked wildly underneath him, but Kakashi was stringer, so he was able to keep her movements to a minimum. Scream after hardly stiffled scream left her hand-covered mouth as he continued this sweet torture, and it wasn't long before her petite body was wracked with shudders much stronger than those before.

When the waves of orgasm died down enough to feel him lapping up her juices, she also realized that he was building her body up to another high again. Sakura shuddered once more at the thought of his stamina. She was already feeling exhausted and half asleep, and she hadn't even done anything. Though she wanted to, she really did, she knew she was not up to reciprocate his favor. Instead, she spread her arms wide for him to come into her embrace, and called his name.

"Kashi…"

He looked up at hearing her tired voice. Her arms were opened for him, and he galdly took the invitation in this gesture. Moving to pick her up, he pressed her against the cool wall once more. The water falling down on them had run cold some time ago, but neither seemed to care. He waited for her to wrap her legs around him, before he slid into her with one swift thrust. A soft mewl rolled off her tongue when he set a steady, but unhurried pace. Yet, he found that she could barely keep up as drained as she was. He smiled at her sleepy face as it contorted in plasure she couldn't fathom in her state. Again, his hand slipped between their - now joined – bodies to rub over her jewel and bring her to fulfillment. His thrust were slow, but hard and deep, and once he had angled them a bit, he touched that special point within her that threw her over the cliff.

A few thrusts later, he was lost as well.

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(Next day, around noon; Konoha Gates)

Tsunade had done as he had asked it seemed, because upon their return Kakashi and Sakura found pretty much the whole village waiting for them at the gates. When Kakashi sweat-dropped, Jiraya explained Tsunade's- sardistic- reasoning to him. Apparently, since he had not stated which 'others' she should bring, the Lady Hokage had thought it best to bring everyone he knew, so that she could not forget anyone. Kakashi sighed as he looked over the crowd that had gathered, Naruto, Sasuke, Yamato, Sai and Sakura's best friend / greatest rival Ino in the first row of course. Then there were the Copy Nin's jounin buddies Genma, Kurenai, Anko, Raidou, the Elders of course, the Rookie Nine, Team Gai- including a very unhappy looking, but not-throwing-a-fit Lee- different relatives of the Rookie Nine and Team Gai, Izumo and Kotetsu, the Temari, and Kankuro and the Kazekage for crying out loud! Ayame and her father Teuchi were there, as well as half of the hospital personel, Baki and Pakkun.

The latter taking the scroll back over to Kakashi.

"I told you, you better know what you're doing, boss," the pug muttered, before disappearing into a cloud of smoke.

"…yeah…" Kakashi agreed, belately.

"What is this all about, Kashi?" Sakura asked him as people continued to stare at them.

"Well," Kakashi started, biting down on his thumb, and unravelling the scroll on the ground. Then he put his bleeding thumb on the scroll. "I've discovered what is in this scroll, and told Tsunade to meet us here, because of it."

A puff of smoke appeared, and the symbols on the scrolls vanished, but nothing else happened.

"You know, there are three things the Flower Country is famous for. Two you already know: The flowers and the Honeymoon Resort."

"…" Sakura still didn't understand.

"The third is… jewellery," Kakashi said as he held up something to her from his position on the ground.

It was a beautiful golden ring with a small pink diamond on it.

Sakura gasped.

"Kashi," she gasped at the implications.

"Sakura," the Copy Nin said, serious. "Would you- in about two years- do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

Sakura's eyes welled up with tears she let fall freely over her cheeks. Her smile betrayed the happiness of those tiny droplets and the answer to Kakashi's proposal. She fell down onto her knees, barely regarding the wonderful ring, and instead wrapping her arms around the silver-haired jounin who owned her heart and soul. His strong arm quickly closed around her in a tight embrace, and his nose was burried into her hair. Cheers could be heard from her friends, and Ino even grabbed a very startled Sai for a quick dance. When Naruto was about to do the same with Sasuke, said Uchiha threatened to castrate him. Gai cried even more than Sakura, Kiba pumped a fist into the air, and Neji wanted to clap, but didn't make it as he was tackled by a happy Hinata and fell to the ground with her. Temari slapped Shikamaru on the back in joy, who muttered his famous 'troublesome' in return, only to be glared at by his girlfriend's brothers. Chouji stopped eating long anouth to congratulate them, Yamato and Jiraya exchanged smiling glances, before watching Tsunade smirk at the couple.

'_Engagement party it is, then,'_ Jiraya decided silently. _'I better start writing on it. I even have a title already. It will be called _Icha Icha True Love_, yeah. Hm, maybe I should put a _'Taboo'_ behind that, but wouldn't that sound strange? Hm…'_

"Kashi?"

"Hm?"

"You not putting that ring on my finger?" Sakura teased.

Kakashi smiled.

"Of course I will," he said, taking her hand carefully and slipping the perfect little piece of art onto her finger. It fit as if it was made for Sakura, and, seeing as it was planned by Tsunade, it probably was. "But, Sakura?"

"Hm?"

"You not kissing me on it?" He smirked.

Sakura smirked back.

And caught his masked lips with her own for the sweetest kiss the people of Konoha have ever even heard of.

**THE END**

**A/N: Well this is the end. I hope you enjoyed this fic just as much as me and please leave a review, even if you don't participate in the poll. Thanks.**

**Love,**

**Mayet**

**POLL: Well, here's my problem. I have ideas for two different KakaSaku stories, but I can only start on writing one, because I still work on my Naruto/Harry Potter crossover Hogwarts' ANBU. Since I can't decide, which one I should start first, or if I should write them at all, I thought I'd give you a short summary of both and let you decide. I have to warn you, though. They are both au stories, because there are so many good canon sories that I want to try and write an au sotry, which will hopefully turn out good.**

**Story # 1: The New Maid (no better title yet, I'm happy about any suggestions)**

Summary: Tsunade, the Hokage of Fire, would like for her adopted granddaughter Sakura to learn self-defence. To achieve this goal, she sends her to one of her most battle-hardened lords under her command, Hatake Kakashi. However, Sakura never makes it to his castle, and Kakashi finds himself hiring a new maid, 'Momoko', with ridiculously pink hair...

**Story # 2: Devil's Game (or Devil's Bride, not sure yet)**

Summary: Hatake Kakashi is one hell of a fellow. Literally. He's a demon, a messanger from hell, a devil in human form. Haruno Sakura is your average teenage girl. Almost. She doesn't smoke, doesn't drink, or take drugs. She's a goody-two-shoes and it's up to Kakashi to change that. But, is he corrupting her, or is she converting him?

**Well, please review and leave a vote if you want. The result will be posted on my profile page within one week. Also, if someone would like to beta whichever story is chosen -if any- just p.m. me. I'd really appreciate it! :)**


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